Odds of Getting Surgery Are Getting Worse
new-zealand-first-party
Thu Jan 08 2015 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Odds of Getting Surgery Are Getting Worse
Thursday, 8 January 2015, 3:08 pm
Press Release: New Zealand First Party
Barbara Stewart MP
Spokesperson for Health
8 JANUARY 2015
Odds of Getting Surgery Are Getting Worse
New Zealand First has found that in some District Health Boards New Zealanders have more chance of winning Instant Kiwi than getting surgery.
“The appalling and increasing reality for Kiwis entering hospital for elective surgery is that they are often packed off home untreated,” says New Zealand First Health Spokesperson Barbara Stewart.
“While it may be termed elective this surgery is often major and life changing for many.
“New Zealand First has obtained the total number of elective surgeries from all District Health Boards and it does not make for very pleasant reading.
“These reveal the ratio of treated to untreated elective surgeries has markedly deteriorated since 2000. This is not the rosy picture painted by the government but it is a reality for many trying to get surgery.
“We know of surgeries being cancelled because there are not enough Intensive Care Beds (ICU) for post-operative recovery.
“So, we have the surgeons, the nursing staff and the operating theatres, but when an ICU bed is lost, for instance, complex elective surgeries are cancelled.
“Sadly, we asked what the total cost of surgical cancellations was for each year since 2008, but, unbelievably, the Ministry of Health does not collect this information. Nor does it know the total number of surgical cancellations in each year since 2008. These are huge gaps.
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
“While thousands of New Zealanders struggle with pain they will get no comfort from the fact that voting on changing the flag, at the whim of the Prime Minister, will cost over $25 million, money which could have been spent on surgery.
“This is a question of spending priorities over meaningless gestures,” says Mrs Stewart.
ENDS
Attached: Elective surgery for each DHB
ELECTIVE_SURGERY_FOR_EACH_DHB.pdf
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}
Using Scoop for work?
Scoop is free for personal use, but you’ll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features.
Join Pro Individual Find out more
Find more from New Zealand First Party on InfoPages.