ACT will reduce hospital waiting lists by a third

act-new-zealand

Mon Aug 15 2005 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

ACT will reduce hospital waiting lists by a third

Monday, 15 August 2005, 8:27 am
Press Release: ACT New Zealand

ACT will reduce hospital waiting list numbers by a third by cutting $250 million of waste in the health system and policy initiatives, ACT Health spokesman Heather Roy said today.

Releasing ACT’s health policy today, Mrs Roy vowed to reduce the number of people dying on the country’s hospital waiting lists by properly utilising private hospitals for publicly funded operations.

“ACT will reduce current waiting list numbers by 25,000 a year by using operating theatres and beds at private hospitals, which are currently not being fully utilised because of Labour’s ideological opposition to harnessing the private sector to reduce waiting lists.

“180,000 New Zealanders are currently waiting – 120,000 to see a specialist for the first time and another 60,000 who have been told they need surgery and will have to wait months or even years to get it,” Mrs Roy said.

“Even worse 1,152 people died on Labour’s hospital waiting lists last year. New Plymouth 15-year-old Angie Webster is one of Labour’s waiting list death statistics. Angie died needlessly waiting for a $5000 heart operation at Waikato Hospital. Her mother Margaret Webster has today launched a website in her memory, www.angiesstory.org.nz. She invites families who have suffered on Labour’s waiting lists to contact her through this website.

“Labour has spent an extra $3.5 billion a year on health, but there are no more health services as a result. Labour has spent the money on health bureaucracy and new legislation, rather than additional treatment.

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ACT will:

Cut waiting lists by a third from 180,000 to 120,000 over three years. This will be achieved by removing $250 million of waste from the system. District Health Boards will be required to contract private hospitals, which will provide an extra 25,000 operations and specialist assessments a year.

Provide tax relief so that more people can afford private health insurance and private treatment.

Cut health bureaucracy and numbers of members on District Health Boards.

Only ACT is offering positive solutions to improve New Zealand’s health system.

ENDS

ACT’s full health policy can be found at www.act.org.nz

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