Wait to get on a waiting list gets longer

The wait to get on a surgery waiting list is getting longer, says National’s Health spokeswoman Judith Collins.

“Patients are being forced to wait longer, and get sicker, before they can get on the official waiting list, let alone get the operations they desperately need.“

Only five of twenty-one District Health Boards are meeting their targets for reassessing Active Review patients. Surgery is considered the best option for the care of these patients, either immediately or in the foreseeable future.

Ms Collins says six months is a long time for sick person to wait, let alone waiting longer than that.

“The health system is plagued with problems, and it’s going from bad to worse. The Government’s fast-expanding bureaucratic health monster is slowing up operations and ultimately costing lives.

“And it is sick Kiwis who pay the price with longer waiting times, growing waiting lists, delayed surgery, and overflowing A&E departments,” Ms Collins said.

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