Hodgson picks eyes out of survey

new-zealand-national-party

Thu Apr 06 2006 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Hodgson picks eyes out of survey

Thursday, 6 April 2006, 10:42 am
Press Release: New Zealand National Party

People will scoff at Health Minister Pete Hodgson’s claim that New Zealand has the second best health system in the world, says National Party Health spokesman Tony Ryall.

“Tell that to the 120,000 people waiting to see a specialist. Or the tens of thousands of people waiting months and months to get an operation,” says Mr Ryall.

“Mr Hodgson makes himself look foolish. No one believes him.”

Mr Ryall is commenting on claims made by the Health Minister on the Commonwealth Fund survey of six countries, released today.

“If this were the second best health system in the world, would we have eight-year-olds who need life-saving brain surgery having their operations cancelled because there are too few nurses or operating theatres?

“Mr Hodgson makes no mention that New Zealand ranked last for effectiveness of the health system. Labour’s health system came last in prevention, chronic care, and hospital care and co-ordination.

“Not everything is bad with our health system. But not everything is as rosy as the Government would like us to think.

”Mr Hodgson himself gives the health system a five-and-a-half out of ten!

“Instead of crowing, he should deal with the crisis in elective surgery, the critical shortage of medical staff, and the problems with after-hours GP care. Those are the real issues affecting real people,” says Mr Ryall.

Ends

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