Jackie Blue MP
National Party Associate Health Spokeswoman

13 July 2007

If stats are wrong the Minister was misled

National Party Associate Health spokeswoman Jackie Blue says statistics that show cancer patients have lost confidence in the public health system were provided by the Health Ministry and the real picture may be far worse.

Earlier in the week, National released information provided by Health Minister Pete Hodgson and the Ministry showing the number of patients going private for prostate and breast cancer treatments was ballooning, while the public system was struggling.

"Given that the answers came from the Minister, it surprises me that the Ministry is now saying they are inaccurate. If they are indeed inaccurate, the Ministry must have provided inaccurate answers to the Minster.

"It would appear that even with an army of bureaucrats Pete Hodgson still can't get it right."

Dr Blue, a former breast physician, fears the true picture will be much worse than even the figures released this week represent.

"One could argue that the public health figures are inflated because, as I understand it, people who had radiotherapy are included irrespective of where they had their surgery.

"And the Ministry has confessed that the private figures are only 'partial', making the private hospital figures I released an underestimate. "So in reality it may be far worse than even the Ministry knows. But the Ministry doesn't actually know because appallingly the available data is five years out of date.

"With time-wasting defensive displays like that being played out over these worrying cancer statistics, it's little wonder that despite the extra $5 billion poured into public health under Labour, the public remains unconvinced."

ENDS

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