Bill English
National Party Leader
11 March 2002
Hospital Chaplains are important
The Labour Government has forgotten that hospitals look after people who are suffering, says National Party Leader Bill
English in response to news that hospital chaplains are facing layoffs.
"When I was Health Minister I learnt first hand the excellent work undertaken by hospital chaplains who play an
incredibly important role for not only the patients but hospital staff as well.
"You are never more vulnerable than when you are sick and hospital chaplains do a really good job of meeting the
emotional needs of all those involved at a very human level.
"Health and healing as everyone knows, is more than just drugs and operations, the human element is equally as
important.
"Hospital chaplains are in a unique position in that they quite rightfully are seen as someone people can trust who are
independent and will retain total confidentially.
"The Prime Minister needs to get her head out of international affairs and start sorting out what is going on in her own
patch. When you have a Government starting to pick on people as harmless as hospital chaplains you know they are not
doing the job they should.
"Health is a mess, I know it, the public knows it, so why doesn't Helen Clark and Annette King get it? It is a question
that needs answering," says Mr English.
ENDS