Labour Still Killing Patients

ACT New Zealand Health Spokesman Heather Roy today blamed the Government for the unnecessary death of a Wellington man, and said it was the direct result of Labour's philosophical objection to use the private sector in healthcare.

"Yet again, the Labour Government's ideological hatred of the private sector has caused the unnecessary death of a patient awaiting heart surgery," Mrs Roy said.

"This man was twice admitted for heart surgery - and twice sent home because of overcapacity problems, or overcrowding, in ICU. Surgeons at Wakefield Hospital were ready, willing and able to treat him, but this man was never given that opportunity. Wakefield Hospital had its contract with Wellington Hospital cancelled around July 2001, and this was endorsed by Health Minister Annette King.

"This Government allows itself to be distracted by bricks and mortar, while ignoring the availability of other providers simply because they are private providers. If this continues, patients will continue to die.

"If Wakefield Hospital's contract was still in place, this patient could have been transferred there for treatment - I doubt that he and his family would have had a philosophical objection to timely treatment," Mrs Roy said.

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