Media statement

For immediate release

Wednesday, 12 November 2003

Dunne seeks probe of deaths at Wellington hospital

United Future New Zealand Leader, Peter Dunne, today repeated his call last week for a wide-ranging, independent inquiry into apparently unnecessary deaths at Wellington Hospital.

“The family of mentally-ill patient Chad Buckle, who died after being allowed to wander unnoticed out of the hospital’s mental health ward, has today highlighted numerous failures in patient care at the hospital,” he said.

“Last week, I brought to the attention of Parliament the fact that patients were dying on waiting lists at Wellington Hospital while there was spare capacity at nearby privately-run Wakefield Hospital.

“The evidence is mounting that things are seriously wrong at the capital’s major hospital. Whether that’s because of under-funding, bad management or stupid ideology is something that must be sorted out rapidly, preferably by an independent inquiry,” said Mr Dunne.

Ends

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