Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Moratorium on waiting list cull - National

Hon Tony Ryall MP
National Party Health Spokesman

7 May 2005

Moratorium on waiting list cull - National

National is calling for a moratorium on culling patients from hospital waiting lists as District Health Boards start to target even the sickest patients and senior specialists describe the cull as ‘dangerous and risky’.

"The waiting list cull is getting out of control. Senior medical specialists are calling it ‘dangerous and risky’. And now even top priority patients are facing the chop," says Mr Ryall.

His call comes as Canterbury DHB prepares to dump another 2,000 patients who are waiting to see specialists. The DHB has already dumped 2,000 people from their specialist waiting list this year.

"The Government should put a moratorium on culling the waiting lists. Senior medical specialists are now saying that preventing patients from getting their first specialist assessments is dangerous and risky. They say it is increasing uncertainty, stress and health risks for patients. Mr Hodgson, on the other hand, says patients are better off with their GP.


"It's clear Pete Hodgson has no idea what panic his edict to start culling has caused. Nor does he have any idea how much it’s costing the health system to shuttle these patients between their GPs and the various waiting lists in the system.”

A leading Canterbury immunologist has been reported as saying that some category A patients - those with greatest need to see a specialist - may be culled. Patients with degenerative conditions like osteoporosis and those suffering chronic pain will certainly be culled.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

"There are 25,000 people who’ve been waiting more than six months to see a specialist. These people are at particular risk of being culled to meet the Government's demands.

“Doctors up and down the country tell me that the patients being culled would benefit from seeing a specialist.”

Mr Ryall says the patients being dumped are sicker.

"We know the kind of patients seen by specialists are getting sicker and the people getting operations are sicker. Therefore the people getting dumped must be sicker.

"Mr Hodgson is totally bewildered with no idea how to fix this. National says we could get more elective services through smart use of the private sector, greater involvement of specialists in decision-making, cuts to bureaucracy, and moving resources into services through a greater focus on value for money."

Ends

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.