Ryall’s imagination running wild

new-zealand-labour-party

Thu Nov 14 2013 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Ryall’s imagination running wild

Thursday, 14 November 2013, 12:42 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

It is clear Health Minister Tony Ryall is doctoring statistics around the number of patients being dumped off waiting lists, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says.

“It is outrageous that the Minister claims there isn’t a problem when almost daily we are hearing of people not being able to access health services, waiting months to see a specialist, or not receiving proper care.

“Just two months ago Mr Ryall told Parliament that as of June this year just 20 patients nation-wide had been waiting longer than six months to be assessed or have surgery.

“He either has a vivid imagination or is making it up because information provided to me by district health boards paints a very different picture.

“For instance, at Waikato as of June 2013 there were 376 patients listed as having been waiting longer than six months while MidCentral had 161 people in the same situation.

“Another eight DHBs said they didn’t even collect the data. So, if they couldn’t provide me with it, where did Mr Ryall get his information from?

“With rising demand for healthcare services and rising numbers of people who are turning up at accident and emergency departments because they can’t afford to see a GP the problem isn’t going to disappear, as much as Mr Ryall would like it to.

“Hundreds of patients are now receiving letters telling them they need an operation, but because it can’t be done in Tony Ryall’s time frame they are dumped off the list.”

ends

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