Uncertainty and Upheaval - the Government's prescription for health services

The Government's prescription of uncertainty and upheaval for our health services will be delivered tomorrow (Monday)with the introduction of new laws restructuring the health system, National's Health spokesperson Wyatt Creech said today.

"The Health Minister promised the legislation in May, but failed to deliver. She still plans to have it passed and implemented by November. That means she has to ram it through.

"There's almost no public awareness of the massive change planned.

"Big new administrative structures will be set up, politics and politicians will be brought back into the mix.

"We're getting new District Boards, plus other new health committees attached to them. They will all have a Chairperson, a deputy, board members and others appointed. There will be a chief executive of the District Health Board, then there will be support staff for the Boards, for the committees, and for the chief executive. The current chief executive of the Hospital will be replaced by a general manager. And at the same time the health bureaucracy is being turned on its head, with jobs shuffled, expertise lost from HFA staff and a focus on structures not on services.

"What you'll see locally from this law change isn't better or more health services. What you'll see is more upheaval, bureaucracy, staff change and cost and uncertainty.

"The Government has told us the Bill will be tabled in Parliament tomorrow (Monday 31 July 2000).

"We don't need this change. What we do need is everyone's effort focussed on delivering better and more health services - not focusing on more restructuring."

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