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Hon Tony Ryall MP National Party Health Spokesman

2 November 2005

More Labour waiting list tricks

More evidence of the Government's waiting list tricks has come to light with reports that MidCentral Health is slicing 160 heart patients off its waiting list, says National Party Health spokesman Tony Ryall.

"To reduce political embarrassment these patients are being sent back to their GPs without treatment," says Mr Ryall.

"MidCentral Health is telling GPs to either monitor routine cases themselves, or consider referral to a private service.

"GPs would not have referred these people if they weren't sick.

"Soon the Government will again claim it is improving the health service because the waiting lists have dropped.

"Health boards are being forced to gamble with people's lives to make this Government look good.

"Taking people off waiting lists is a feeble attempt to hide the problem and make the numbers look better for the Government. It does nothing for the patient.

"No medical school has ever taught that removal from a waiting list is a cure for anything," says Mr Ryall.

ENDS

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