12 March 2008
Emergency Care Situation Shameful
The current situation where 100,000 people in Northern Wellington and Kapiti are denied access to the 24-hour emergency
medical services they were promised is nothing less than shameful, says New Zealand First health spokesperson Barbara
Stewart.
“The promise, made when the regional hospital went to Wellington rather than Porirua, was not made by the current
Minister of Health but that does not absolve him from responsibility.
“Now that it has been revealed that the new regional hospital will not cope with future demand immediate consideration
must be given to further developing Kenepuru Hospital in order to provide adequate health services to northern
Wellington and the Kapiti Coast.
“If Capital Coast District Health Board’s project plans for medical services have always included “refurbishing,
increasing and maximising use” of Kenepuru the Government will have to bite the bullet and provide additional funding
for this.
“There are now moves afoot to sell off some of the land surrounding Kenepuru. If this sale takes place the funds raised
should be used specifically for the redevelopment of Kenepuru – any other use would be grossly unjust to the local
population.
“Unbelievable as it sounds here we have a perfectly good hospital, easily accessible to over 100,000 people and the
powers that be cannot even organise for it to provide a 24-hour accident and emergency service as promised,” said Mrs
Stewart.
ENDS