Annette King
Health Spokesperson
17 February 2014
Time for some honest answers on mums
The distressing treatment of new mums at Middlemore Hospital makes a fiction of The Government’s much-lauded ‘greater
support’ for vulnerable new mums, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette king says.
“Health Minister Tony Ryall promised, way back in 2009, that new and vulnerable mums would be able to stay in hospital
for up to two days longer than the 48 hours all mothers are entitled to.
“Almost $40 million was to be spent on providing these longer post-natal stays, yet we are now hearing of mums being
kicked out just four hours after giving birth.
“An OIA response from Counties Manukau shows it received an extra $90, 270 in 2012/13 to deliver longer stays, yet
between 2009 and 2013 the length of stays for new mums remained static at an average 2.6 days.
“It’s time for some honest answers from Mr Ryall and from Counties Manukau; just what has been done to help vulnerable
new mums and how long are they really staying after having their babies?”
ENDS