Hon David Cunliffe
Minister of Health

7 December 2007 Media Statement

Minister of Health calls on Heather Roy to apologise.

Minister of Health David Cunliffe is calling on Heather Roy to apologise to the clinical staff of Capital and Coast District Health Board.

Ms Roy has this week maligned the hardworking clinical staff of Capital and Coast on not one, but two occasions, Mr Cunliffe said

“I am appalled to discover that her so called outrage over patients being sent home from Capital and Coast, after allegedly having their surgery cancelled, was nothing more than a cynical show put on for the media.”

Mr Cunliffe said directly after Ms Roy made comments in the house concerning the deaths of 14 patients his office contacted Capital and Coast DHB and the Ministry of Health.

At this time CCDHB had been unable to locate any information that would confirm the statement made by Ms Roy further more the Ministry of Health has also been unable to confirm her claims.

As a result CCDHB contacted Ms Roy to ask for her assistance to investigate the matter.

“I would have thought given her so called outrage she would have jumped at the opportunity to assist in helping to investigate a matter she claimed to be concerned about.”

However, despite contacting Ms Roy’s office three times in the past 24 hours Capital and Coast have yet to receive any information from her that would allow them to thoroughly investigate her claims.

“I am appalled that a member of Parliament would stand in the House and make serious statements about patient safety and then fail to provide information that would expedite an investigation in to those claims.”

Mr Cunliffe said he informed Ms Roy in Parliament yesterday that he would investigate the claims if she sent the information to his office – she has so far failed to do so.

Despite the lack of assistance from Ms Roy both Capital and Coast DHB and the Ministry of Health are continuing to investigate the matter.

“Ms Roy has made serious allegations and I suggest she either presents information to support her claims that would allow this matter to be investigated thoroughly or apologise immediately.”

ENDS

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