Media Release

26 February 2008

Another Day - Another Health Debacle

There seems to be no end to the bad news coming out of the health sector, says New Zealand First health spokesperson Barbara Stewart.

“The Health and Disability Commissioner’s report about the almost unbelievable events at Wanganui Hospital makes several points which the Minister of Health must take on board.

“Among them he calls for greater co-ordination and collaboration across DHBs and says that this should … not be left to serendipity, nor should they be forced by a clinical failure or a rushed reaction to adverse publicity. He also advocates … a more proactive, facilitated approach to ensure that services can be provided safely in a sustainable way across DHBs.

“In other words workforce and funding shortages are making our current system of health service delivery less and less workable and we need to be looking for alternatives.

“Mr Paterson further makes the point that there is a crucial need for regional and national service planning and good leadership.

“The most obvious place to look for leadership would be the Minister of Health and his ministry. However this will need a more constructive approach than the one so far used to deal with Capital & Coast and Hawkes’ Bay DHBs. Trying to divide and rule and communicate through the media will do nothing to solve the problems we are currently facing,” said Mrs Stewart.

ENDS

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