Judith Collins - National Party Health Spokeswoman

10 January 2005

Patients lose out as paperwork increases

Patients are losing out as health professionals become increasingly bogged down with paperwork under PHOs, says National Party Health spokeswoman, Judith Collins.

She is commenting on figures released today, which show that doctors' management fees have increased by a third to $20 million - $5.2 million more than before PHOs were introduced.

"The increase shows that the demands on doctors have increased to a point where a large part of their day is spent bogged down with paperwork and other administration tasks," says Ms Collins.

"Under Labour bureaucracy is spiralling out of control.

"Doctors are expected to do more administration. As a consequence they are spending less and less time with their patients."

Ms Collins says increased management fees are not benefiting patients at all, but simply illustrating that the system is not working properly.

"Patients are missing out because doctors have so little time to see them.

"It's time for Annette King to let doctors get on with the job of looking after people's health," says Ms Collins.

ENDS

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