Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Licence needed for work use Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Govt culls waiting lists to paint rosier picture

Roger Sowry National Deputy Leader

18 September 2003

Govt culls waiting lists to paint rosier picture

The Health Minister yet again blaming National for current elective surgery waiting lists is cold comfort for the almost 2000 patients culled off waiting lists with no hope of an operation, says National Deputy Leader Roger Sowry.

"The Minister's promises in Parliament that more people will get surgery are no use to an elderly South Auckland war veteran who, after waiting two years for knee surgery, has been pushed off the waiting list even though the Minister herself suggested he should approach Middlemore Hospital for assessment.

"This patient is in extreme pain, he can't even walk to his own front gate or up a small set of stairs.

"The Minister claims Labour has reduced waiting lists, but what it's actually done is abolish large sections of the list to make it look shorter - at Counties Manukau alone 1853 have been cut from the list.

"The Minister blaming National for this man not getting surgery four years after it left Government is plain ridiculous, and doesn't solve his problems or those of the hundreds of other patients in his position.

"Both the Minister and the Ministry of Health promised they would address the inequality of access to elective surgery between Counties Manukau and the rest of the country. Clearly there's been no progress and the Minister has no answers for this," Mr Sowry says.

Ends

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

Featured News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.