9 January 2016

Elderly bearing brunt of National’s health cuts

The government needs to take a step back from its health rhetoric and look at the impact that its continued underfunding of the health system is having on older people, says Labour’s Senior Citizens spokesperson Ruth Dyson.

“How we look after older people is the marker of a civilised society. Those in their 70s, 80s and 90s must not be consigned to the health scrap heap or forced to live in pain and unable to get around. Their quality of life should be something we value as part of respecting older citizens as members of our communities.

“But National’s decision to cut 1.7 billion dollars out of the health system is seeing more and more older people declined elective surgery despite their urgent need. Recent examples in Christchurch have only highlighted a problem that is impacting older people all around New Zealand.

“Older New Zealanders have worked for years raising families, in paid jobs or working in our communities. This is not what they deserve.

“John Key needs to give a firm commitment to older New Zealanders that the healthcare system will be there for them when they need it and that our healthcare workers will have the resources they need to keep people well,” says Ruth Dyson.

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