Media Release
2 May 2006
Patients Sick Of Politicking
"Patients currently being referred back to overworked GPs are unlikely to feel better as a result of the Health
Minister's reassurances that delays in treatment are a figment of the National Party's imagination plot," says New
Zealand First’s health spokesperson Barbara Stewart.
"Neither will the National Party’s campaign of doom and gloom lead to more operations or better treatment. National had
its opportunity to improve the health system and didn’t make a spectacular success of it. They are currently claiming
the moral high ground from a very low position.
"The assurances we seek are that unnecessary duplication and administrative waste in the health system are being
eliminated, and that the recruitment issues in public health are being overcome," said Mrs Stewart.
"Getting the greatest amount of health and disability support from our health spending is critical as not all problems
can be solved by extra spending. It is time to set aside petty politicking and mount a non-partisan campaign for
improved health productivity.
"If the effort that is going into political point scoring was applied to improving health outcomes we would all be
better off," said Mrs Stewart.
ENDS