The Government’s directive to Health New Zealand to give 10-year contracts to private hospitals for elective surgeries is a further step towards privatisation of health care, the PSA says.

Stripping money out of the public health system to pay private, for-profit providers will not solve the Government’s underfunding of health, Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons says.

"The long-term result of outsourcing to private providers will continue to weaken the provision of public health care by starving it of funds, giving the Government a further excuse to privatise more and more healthcare.

"The plan to contract to private hospital long-term is ushering in the privatisation of the health system, which will inevitably mean syphoning money off from providing health services for all to pay profits to private corporations. This will result in only those who can pay being able to access adequate health care and other vital services.

"The Government wants to drive us towards a US-style health system where the private sector dominates and sick people without health insurance are left at hospital doors.

"The Minister says he is unapologetic about his directive, but the directive was kept under wraps for months.

"If you judge the Government by its actions not its words, it is clear this lack of transparency is cover for privatisation by stealth of public health care.

"Public health services belong to all of us and are there to deliver for people not shareholders.

"Privatisation will also mean that the workers who deliver quality public, health services will see their livelihoods threatened by redundancies and reduced pay and conditions," Fitzsimons says.

Notes:

The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

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