9 September 2004

Need Medical Care? First Pick Your DHB

New Zealand First’s health spokesperson says that inequalities in access to medical care from one area to another are becoming more obvious every week.

“Today’s report from Professor Parry of Auckland University to the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons annual scientific meeting that lack of equity in access for patients waiting for general surgery borders on a national scandal comes as no surprise.

“It is yet another example of the consequences of the public health system being divided into 21 separate entities and left to manage itself with minimal guidance from the Government, said Mrs Stewart.

“There are no national strategies for dealing with our biggest killers such as cancer, diabetes or heart disease. Rural residents in some areas where specialists are few and far between frequently have long waits for consultations which do nothing to improve their chances of recovery.

“Anyone needing elective surgery should obviously pick their dhb carefully as well.

“If what we have is supposed to be democracy in health then it is not working. It is time for the Minister of Health to provide some decisive leadership to ensure that more health dollars are not squandered while large numbers of New Zealanders continue to suffer unnecessarily,” said Mrs Stewart.

ENDS

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