Kris
FAAFOI
MP for Mana

13 November 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT
Right decision on overnight emergency service

The Capital and Coast District Health Board’s decision to keep Kenepuru Hospital’s overnight Accident and Medical service open is the right move for the community, Labour MP for Mana Kris Faafoi said today.

“The communities of Porirua, Tawa and the Kapiti Coast have long relied on the overnight service at Kenepuru.

“Fears for the long term viability of the entire service while the overnight service was being reviewed were always a concern.

“Now the community will have peace of mind.

“My preference from the outset was that the overnight service remain open but if it was closed, then any replacement mobile paramedic service had to be well resourced. It’s clear the level of resourcing that was going to be considered wouldn’t have met community needs.

“I still have a number of questions around what the wider plans for the entire service may have entailed. But keeping the service, as is, is the best outcome for our communities.

“In September Health Minister, Tony Ryall, said the changes were about ‘much better, sooner, more convenient health care’.

“Given what has happened at Kenepuru, he might like to rethink those words,” Kris Faafoi said.

ENDS

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