Andrew Little’s lack of interest in cancer procedures cancelled over the lockdown is callous and negligent, National’s
Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
“In response to parliamentary questions, the Health Minister has said it is not ‘in the public interest’ to determine
how many people on the Faster Cancer Treatment pathway have had their surgical procedures cancelled.
“The entire point of the Faster Cancer Treatment pathway is to urgently refer patients who are highly suspected of
having cancer. They are the among the last people who can afford to have their treatments delayed or cancelled.
“We know that there are 29 patients in the Bay of Plenty DHB alone whose procedures for suspected or confirmed cancer
were delayed, according to official information I’ve obtained.
“What is it about cancer that this Minister is missing?
“None of his 12 flimsy health indicators include cancer despite it being the greatest killer. He’s called the Cancer
Society “off the planet”. Under his watch, Pharmac has said it is considering new cancer medicines not being made free
in public hospitals for the 50 children a year that need chemotherapy. My member’s bill has huge public support to fix this problem, including support from the ACT, Māori and Green parties to go to select
committee.
“The 85,000 people who have had inpatient procedures cancelled in the past year need an urgent plan to catch up on their
treatment, and funding to do so.
“The Minister could begin by reallocating the $6 million cost of 20 consultants from one consulting firm to work on the
health system restructuring. That alone would buy a lot of cancelled cancer CT scans and MRIs.
“Minister Little needs to get his priorities straight and give some certainty and a plan to the high-need cancer
patients his system is leaving behind.”