Annette
KING
Health Spokesperson

21 March 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT
Elderly treated worse than prisoners

It is inexcusable that some of New Zealand’s most vulnerable elderly citizens are being forced to wait longer than prisoners before receiving health care assessments, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says.

“Figures obtained by Aged Care show that rest home residents in just seven of 19 regional DHBs catchment areas are being assessed within what is considered an ‘acceptable’ period – 10 working days - while none of the DHBs meet the three day ‘best practice’ criteria.

“The health needs of prisoners are assessed in a shorter timeframe – in fact they are assessed within hours of a prisoner arrival at a penal institution.

“The average time between a first referral and an assessment (in the quarter to June 2012) across the country was 16.2 working days, while in Waitemata one person had to wait 218 days for a needs assessment.

“Interestingly the data regarding referral wait-times is collected by district health boards, but is not information the Minister of Health chooses to report publically.

“So Tony Ryall knows to the decimal point how many operations hospitals are carrying out and how DHBs are performing with regards to helping smokers quit, but the healthcare of our older people apparently counts for nothing.

“Elderly people often have high health needs, yet won’t make a fuss. Having to wait weeks before even being assessed, let alone receiving the care they need leaves them even more vulnerable.

“Failing to address their problems early, where they have support around medication and treatment if they need it, is tantamount to neglect and it should not be happening.”
[1]Source: In Touch, Aged Care. NASC referral times to June 2012 quarter.

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