Paul Hutchison MP National Party Health Spokesman

1 September 2005

Labour's health policy - more waste, more bureaucracy

National's Health spokesman, Paul Hutchison, says Labour's health policy signals more waste and more bureaucracy in the health system.

"After what they claim is a 60% spending increase in the past six years, serious questions have been raised by the OECD, by Treasury and even by Finance Minister Michael Cullen over poor productivity in the sector," says Dr Hutchison.

"The aged care sector is in crisis, dental decay in children has got worse, and the surgical waiting lists now stand at 180,000. New Zealanders get poorer access to drugs than Australians, and all this has occurred during Labour's term in office.

"Labour has created a health system that is highly complex and inefficient. Far too much money goes into bureaucracy and pen-pushing, and not on patients.

"National is committed to a strong public health system that is efficient and well managed, and is complemented by a strong private sector," says Dr Hutchison.

ENDS

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