Health sector work stoppages spiral

new-zealand-national-party

Thu Apr 26 2007 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Health sector work stoppages spiral

Thursday, 26 April 2007, 11:39 am
Press Release: New Zealand National Party

Hon Tony Ryall MP National Party Health Spokesman

26 April 2007

Disruption in the health sector has hit new highs, with latest figures showing thousands more days lost to industrial action than at any other time this decade, says National's Health spokesman, Tony Ryall.

Figures from Statistics New Zealand show that in 2006 the number of days lost by hospital strikes ballooned to 11,562 compared to just 1,750 in 2000. A record number of health workers have been involved too.

"More money than ever is being pumped into the health system. Yet this year is stumbling along in the same way as the old year finished - in a fog of workplace mistrust, with more and more patients paying the price.

Already in 2007, radiation therapists, radiographers and lab workers have resorted to industrial action. Today, for the third time this month, laboratory workers are striking.

"Widespread strike action is more than just an employment issue," says Mr Ryall "Thousands of patients are being affected by ongoing industrial action - surgeries are being cancelled and other treatments delayed.

"Industrial action in our hospitals is becoming commonplace and it's at the expense of patients. Labour once considered the health system the jewel in its crown. But their $4 billion extra each year hasn't bought more services or higher morale - in fact, they have achieved the opposite.

"Who is standing up for the patients? It certainly isn't the Health Minister. He's continuing to hide in his office instead of banging heads together to get this mess sorted out.

"Labour's regime prevents DHBs from talking directly to their employees. This is clearly contributing to the climate of mistrust that has so become part of the hospital scene in NZ."

ENDS

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