20 November 2009
Media Statement

Lack of planning by Tony Ryall fails patients

The Minister of Health’s failure to plan for ACC cutbacks and resulting shambolic introduction of physiotherapy part-charges is just the tip of the iceberg, Labour Health spokesperson Ruth Dyson says.

“The Ministry of Health this week told parliament’s health select committee that neither it nor the Minister had done anything to prepare the health sector for ACC cutbacks.

“As a result of Tony Ryall’s incompetence DHBs had begun the process of putting cash registers in hospitals to collect part-charges for physiotherapy patients referred by ACC. However, the Ministry of Health has now asked DHBs not to charge while it decided what to do.

“The Minister has had months to sort this out, but he has sat idly by while ACC dumped patients from its books and onto DHB waiting lists. Part charges were introduced for physiotherapy and hundreds of people in desperate need of counselling as a result of sexual assault were turned away from ACC and no process for them to access mental health services was put in place.

“The Minister of Health has done nothing while people have been left to suffer because of his Government’s short-sighted cutbacks.

“Private physiotherapists are now in the position of having to compete with hospital based services which are free.

“It is a complete shambles and sadly patients have been caught in the middle. The Minister of Health should have done a better job.

“Why did he and his colleagues agree at Cabinet for ACC to move ahead with cutbacks that would impact health services and then do nothing to prepare the health sector?

“As both ACC and Health Sector cutbacks continue we will see more and more patients missing out on the services they need.

“I am sure taxpayers will be delighted to know that the Ministers of Health and ACC have spent tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayers money on meaningless PR campaigns touting National Government policy but have failed to do anything help the patients affected.

“The Minister of Health should stop worrying about his PR and start worrying about the patients he has failed,” Ruth Dyson said.

ENDS

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