31,000 wait to get on hospital waiting lists-ACT

Over 2,000 New Zealanders are languishing on Labour’s hospital waiting lists, with 15 people waiting more than five years for treatment, ACT Health spokesman Heather Roy said today.

A total of 2,138 people are currently waiting on active review, the category where patients have been assessed as needing surgery by a specialist, but are unable to have their operation due to a lack of resources, are placed.

“There are over 61,000 people on Labour’s waiting lists, over 31,000 of these patients are in Labour’s hidden active review list. This is a waiting list to get on the official waiting list, Mrs Roy said.

“Worse, of these 31,000 patients, 2,138 have been waiting to get their surgery for over two years. This is a disgrace.

“Health Minister Annette King’s only answer is to say she has thrown billions of dollars more into the health system. She ignores consecutive Treasury reports showing hospital productivity is down despite the huge cash injections.

“The facts reveal that Labour’s health system is failing patients. Just throwing money at the health bureaucracy doesn’t work and thousands of patients have to wait a disgracefully long time for their surgery.

“Waiting list times are a disgrace. The Government must assist people to better utilise the private health system. Sadly Labour opposes this policy for ideological reasons,” Mrs Roy said.

ENDS

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