DHB should listen to patients first

February 20 2014

DHB should listen to patients first

The Hawke’s Bay District Health Board should be ashamed its chief executive is not prepared to first listen to patients before axing health services.

Andy Lowe speaking for Put Patients First said if this is how the Hawke’s Bay DHB works, then it was setting a very dangerous precedent for the future health of the region.

“We have called a hui, as a way to give patients a voice, they have a right to be heard – this is their time.

“We are gutted that the chief executive Kevin Snee has decided he won’t even bother to turn up to listen to patients at the hui.

“I have met with Kevin several times, I have assured him, and his staff, that they will be respected, that the hui will be a safe environment. All we asked was for him to come and listen to the patients, to hear what they had to say.

“Instead yesterday he has told us the decision was final, that the direction where the DHB wanted to head did not include the GPSI service and he wouldn’t be coming. As far as the DHB was concerned it was over.

“Is this how the public of Hawke’s Bay wants its DHB to work? It still won’t provide the facts, what is it hiding? Where is the accountability?

“We have asked the DHB to provide the evidence supporting its decision, but it is still refusing to provide any data to back its claims.

“I have personally offered to pay for an independent review of the data they are using to compare its services to the GPSI service. But they don’t want to be part of a review.”

About 10% per cent of the 8000 people with diabetes in Hawke’s Bay have been through the GPSI service. Hundreds more patients, are also benefiting from the service through training and support the service provides to family nurses and doctors working throughout the region from Central Hawke’s Bay to Wairoa.

ENDS

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