Labour's health spokesperson Annette King says she is shocked by the tragic news that a state-funded patient at the private Ascot Hospital in Auckland has received the wrong hip replacement operation

"This is a warning to Government to get it right before they steal contracts from the public sector and give them to the private sector," Annette King said.

"I have been raising concern about this contract from its inception. This occurrence raises serious concerns about awarding a public contract to a hospital that hadn't even opened when the deal was signed.

"In light of this situation, the Minister of Health has got to think carefully about whether the Government contract with Ascot should continue," Annette King said.

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