Why should a heart patient in the North Island require an assessment of 35 points to obtain a place on the booking list and a subsequent operation within a reasonable time but in the South Island a patient with 58 points cannot get a position on the booking list. This makes the booking list a cruel fraud.

35 points represent a situation where there is a minimum of three seriously blocked arteries so this should be sufficient anywhere for an operation.

While 58 points would be more than adequate for an operation in Auckland , in Christchurch this level of points mean an indeterminate wait while the funding available is spent on those patients with points in the upper 60s. Patients with under this number of points wait on waiting list until they deteriorate sufficiently to obtain sufficient points to proceed to the booking system , have a heart attack requiring emergency surgery or die.

The complete failure of the HFA to have an adequate equitable funding regime throughout the country has led to this totally unacceptable situation .]

What is more unaccepatble is that in order to cope with the lack of funding patients points are downgraded when they reach the age of 70 making cardiothoracic surgery for this age group in the sOuth Island very plobelematical to say the least .

The South Island is not a suitable place for those with heart complaints but it should be the same as everywhere else.

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