Health Minister stumbling over health reforms
Wyatt Creech
Opposition Health Spokesperson
2 May 2000
Health Minister stumbling over health reforms
The Minister of Health is failing to meet her self imposed health reform deadlines - creating uncertainty and undermining her plans to restructure the health system, Opposition Health spokesperson Wyatt Creech revealed today.
"Annette King is not coping with her workload. She has too much on her plate and nothing is being done properly.
"According to Cabinet's signed off timetable released by the Health Minister on April 6 a number of deadlines have passed and there's been no action.
"We've been waiting since April 11 for appointments to be made to "all transitional District Health Boards", we've been waiting since 7 March for a "Cabinet decision on the future of CCMAU", and five to six hui on Maori health were meant to be held in late March/early April but haven't happened.
"The Crown Statement of Objectives for the HFA were due on March 9 - but didn't come out until mid April.
"And the Primary Healthcare Strategy release had been intended for release on February 18 but the Minister said it didn't happen - because she had to attend a funeral. It wasn't released more than five weeks later at the end of March.
"Sweeping reform legislation is due before Parliament this month - but given this track record what chance is there that Annette King will be able to deliver comprehensive and well thought through law changes?
"The Minister has told Cabinet the timeframe is needed to 'generate public understanding of health policy and timing and encourage input'.
"The Minister's letting herself, Cabinet and New Zealanders down by constantly missing her own deadlines. That means the job isn't being done properly and we will all pay the price through ill-thought through and unnecessary changes."
Timetable from Cabinet paper released by Health Minister attached Ends
Inquiries: Wyatt
Creech 04 4719 710
Indicative timetable key events
health sector changes
Timeframe Event Audience(s)
Communications Spokes-
person Lead Agency
Jan -
June NZ Health Strategy Development All health
providers,
interest / advocacy / professional groups
Media MOH/HFA staff Speaking
engagements conferences/AGMs
etc Viewpoints trade press Metropolitan dailies
Health
Moves (AK newsletter) newhealth (website) Media
release(s),
interviews Minister of Health DG of Health
Chief Advisors MOH/HFA
Feb - April Set-up transitional
DHBs All board chairs, boards,
providers, communities
Media 1. HHS chairs 2. HHS
boards/primary
providers/provincial media Designated
person (Keith Marshall) MOH
18 Feb Hui for Maori
providers Maori providers Maori media trade press
Health
Moves Media release, interviews Maori media DDG TKHChief
Advisor
TKH MOH
19 Feb Advertisements for nominations
transitional DHBs All
Media release Minister of
Health MOH/CCMAU
Feb-April Setup transitional DHBs All
HHS boards, providers,
communities, media 1. Engagement
with board chairs 2. Engagement
boards/primary providers
and provincial media Designated person
(Keith
Marshall) MOH
21-25 Feb DG of Health visits to
HFA localities Staff Informal
DG of
Health MOH
March Papers to ad hoc ministerial committee-
DHB role/governance - Maori
issues MOH/HFA staff Health
sector newhealth Health Moves MOH
March - Decisions on
Cabinet papers All Media conferences,
releases,
interviews as appropriate Minister of
Health
March Launch Primary Care Strategy discussion
document All primary
health providers - Maori, mental
health, DSS Media release / interviews
Launch IPA
conference Trade press coverage Speaking engagements Health
Moves
Minister of Health DG of Health DG/chief
Advisors
March - June HFA contract round with
providers All providers
Information kits HFA contract
team personnel Media release(s) trade press
7
March Cabinet decision on CCMAU health future media
staff media
release/interviews newhealth(extended to
incorporate CCMAU) Minister of
Health
9
March Tabling CSO for HFA media MOH / HFA staff Media
release
minister newhealth Health Moves Minister of
Health MOH / HFA
15 March Announcement overall MOH
structure, appointment process for
tiers 2/3
managers staff HFA / MOH Central agencies
Media staff
announcement / newhealth Health Moves media
release DG of Health CEO HFA
MOH
31 March papers to
ad hoc ministerial c'tee - accountability
arrangements
DHBs - future HBL, Pharmac, blood - hospital investment
(CCMAU)
central agencies sector Staff Health Moves
newhealth DG of Health as
Chair of Officials' Group MOH /
HFA / CCMAU
April - decisions on Cabinet
papers All media conferences,
releases, interviews as
appropriate Minister of Health
late March / early
April 5-6 regional hui on health
strategy/sector
changes Maori providers media release
Maori media / interviews / coverage?
viewpoint assoc
minister, Minister of Health Assoc Minister of
Health
MOH
11 April Appointments to transitional
DHBs All media
conference, releases, interviews as
appropriate Minister of Health
*involvement HHS comms
mgrs MOH / CCMAU
15 April Announcement successful tier
2 mgrs MOH / HFA staff
sector media central
agencies staff announcement / newhealth Health
Moves
media release MOH
30 April Signing of amended
Funding Agreement (minister/HFA chair)
sector via media
MOH / HFA staff media release OR Health
Moves
newhealth MOH / HFA
1-7 May Announcement
successful tier 3 managers Announcement
detailed
structure for staff MOH / HFA staff sector staff
announcement /
newhealth Health
Moves MOH
May Introduction NZ Public Health and
Disability Services Bill all
Health Moves media release
inviting submissions, setting out timeframe all
media
(key, trade, Maori) Minister of Health MOH
May-Sept Bill
before select c'tee, consultation all as
appropriate
(media coverage select c'tee)
30 June papers to ad hoc
ministerial c'tee
*legislation
*fiscal implications
of chances (Tsy)
*funding MOH / TSY
July-
Decisions on Cabinet papers all media conferences,
releases,
interviews as appropriate Minister of
Health
1 July New MOH structure fully operative all
Health Moves media
release Minister of
Health MOH
Nov Disestablishment HFA board Establishment
transitional DHBs
Health Moves media release Health Moves
media release / interviews / photo
opportunities as
appropriate Minister of Health MOH
Nov 2001 Election
DHBs MOH /
ENDS