Minister blind to health cuts at Hawkes Bay
New Zealanders can look forward to ongoing health service cuts throughout the country, says National Health Spokesperson
Dr Lynda Scott.
“The Hawke’s Bay district health board admits that it has been making elective surgery cuts and is proposing co-payments
for surgery in an attempt to prevent making further cuts.
“Health Minister Annette King has signed off a plan that clearly states further service cuts or part charges are on the
agenda to save $6.8million for Hawke’s Bay DHB.
“The Minister now says she won’t allow part payments for surgery because it is not Government policy, but she is
offering no solutions for any district health boards who are carrying large deficits.
“Today in Parliament the Minister denied that Hawke’s Bay DHB will have to make cuts but few people now believe this
rhetoric. She is also oblivious to the fact that other boards around the country are in the same situation.
“Cuts to services at Hawke’s Bay and other boards show that Labour’s health reforms are simply not working despite the
good PR the Minister tries to spin.
“New Zealanders are not as gullible as the Minister hopes. They can see their health services being run down. If only
the Minister could provide solutions to stop health services going down the slippery slope,” said Dr Scott.