Tony Ryall MP
National Party Health Spokesman
4 July 2008
Yet another committee on health workforce
Labour has completely lost the plot with its announcement of yet another committee to deal with health workforce crisis,
says National Party Health spokesman Tony Ryall
"Setting up another committee is not going to keep any doctors in the country. In fact, the ballooning health
bureaucracy is what's driving them out."
Mr Ryall is commenting after Health Minister David Cunliffe announced a new committee to deal with junior doctor
‘workforce and systems issues’ called the Resident Medical Officers Workforce Commission.
"This demonstrates Labour has run out of ideas. All they can think of is another committee.
"Besides over 48 workforce reports, there will now be at least eight central groups working on health workforce issues.
"The public want action not committees.”
National's health discussion paper sets out a number of proposals for improving the recruitment and retention of medical
staff including the smart use of bonding through student loan write-offs, and improving job satisfaction by re-engaging
health professionals in the running of the health service.
ENDS