CCDHB district should be split in two

Absurd number of candidates proves CCDHB district should be split in two

Two candidates in the Health Board election have reacted sharply to the number of candidates announced by the Wellington City Council Returning Officer.

The absurd number of candidates for Capital and Coast Health Board shows that the board's area should be divided into two, says Porirua City Councillor Robert Shaw who is also a candidate for the Capital and Coast Health Board".

He is supported in this view by Dr Ruth Bradwell who is a medical specialist who has worked predominantly in Kapiti and Porirua. It is the first time that Dr Bradwell has stood for public office and she said she decided to stand because the needs of people from Johnsonville, Tawa, Porirua and Kapiti were not being adequately addressed.

"From the day that Capital Health was amalgamated with Coast Health the northern part of the area has lost out" said Cr Shaw

"The method adopted for the election favours Wellington. It is not that the total number of voters in the north is less than that in Wellington, but rather that they are spread out and the people in Kapiti are most unlikely to know the people in Porirua. In Wellington leading regional and city councillors have a clear advantage. They are good people, but they can never represent us in a proper way" Cr Shaw said.

Dr Bradwell said "over the last decade we have seen resources dwindle, services close, bed numbers decline, and staff move to Newtown as a result of the amalgamation of Coast Health with Capital Health. The people in both the Newtown and Kenepuru areas would be better served by having two boards".

"It upsets us greatly that Kenepuru was a hospital campus purchased and set out for our area, and now the land is to be sold" she said. The inability of the Board to establish a proper Accident and Emergency Service at Kenepuru is not just poor in medical terms it insults the people of the north" she added

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