Medical Leaders Agree With New Zealand First

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Thu Apr 28 2005 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Medical Leaders Agree With New Zealand First

Thursday, 28 April 2005, 4:00 pm
Press Release: New Zealand First Party

28 April 2005

New Zealand First health spokesperson Barbara Stewart is urging the Minister of Health to listen to medical leaders who want to see more New Zealanders rather than foreign students given places at New Zealand Medical schools to help fix New Zealand’s chronic shortage of doctors.

This is in response to the serious and ongoing issue illustrated by the senior doctors’ union, which blames the shortage of doctors for the 25,000 patients being forced to wait longer than six months to see a specialist.

“The repercussions from this number of undiagnosed people waiting to see a specialist is a huge concern for a first world country such as New Zealand, said Mrs Stewart.

“We would like to know just who benefits from allowing foreign students to take places at medical schools instead of New Zealanders. It certainly isn’t those requiring specialist care and surgery.

“If Mrs King was serious about addressing the chronic shortage of doctors and reducing waiting lists, she would put New Zealanders first by lifting the cap on the numbers of New Zealand doctors allowed in medical schools,” said Mrs Stewart.

ENDS

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