Travelling overseas

As overseas travellers may be aware New Zealand has reciprocal health agreements with Australia and the United Kingdom but not with any other countries. The agreements cover illness and injuries only.

There are many services that are not covered under these agreements and you, as the patient, will be expected to pay the full costs. No doubt some of you have already been treated under a reciprocal agreement - and probably been surprised at the additional costs.

In New Zealand First we believe our health system needs reviewing so that New Zealanders are not left with unnecessary debt by visitors from overseas who make use of the health system when they are visiting our country. Some District Health Boards do not incur much visitor debt but in Auckland the amount is quite considerable. This is an issue that needs addressing. The unpaid debt figures that are quoted by the media do not include those treatments carried out here on Australian or British patients but only the unpaid debts left to the DHBs by visitors from all other countries.

The Emergency Departments at the various hospitals do not ask whether the sick person is able to pay for the service received - they say that is not their role. Their focus is on treating the patient, not verifying their eligibility for treatment.

In the Auckland area, the District Health Board tries to follow up with the patient, either in New Zealand or at their overseas address, to attempt to recover the cost of the services but they are not always successful. This means that the bill can end up with the taxpayer - unnecessary debts that our overburdened health system does not need.

Comprehensive medical/travel insurance is strongly recommended for anyone travelling overseas and it could be said that if you can't afford this insurance, then you should not be travelling. Perhaps it is time to make sure that the same premise applies to travellers coming into New Zealand.

Slip, slop, slap & wrap

We have seen the occasional glimpse of summer and there will be more. There is always something about fresh air and sunshine that tempts us outdoors.

Unfortunately spending a lot of time outside can result in painful sunburn, skin cancer, unnecessary skin aging and cataracts. Everyone is aware of the results of too much sun but some of us have become blas&eacut; about the "sun-smart" message.

Many of us rely totally on sunscreen as our main method of defence against sunburn. However it may surprise you to learn that there is currently no independent evaluation or quality control of sunscreens to ensure that they live up to the claims made for them. Unfortunately it is unlikely that any corrective legislation will be enacted in New Zealand in the near future.

In New Zealand First, we are concerned that no regulations cover this essential health and safety product. We believe that the Government has an obligation to ensure that claims made on sunscreen packaging are accurate. If sunscreens were regulated, the Ministry of Health through Medsafe would be the agency responsible for monitoring the accuracy of manufacturers' claims.

Sunscreens provide vital protection against skin cancer and we should be able to trust the products we purchase. It is quite outrageous that at present we cannot tell, until after we have used it, whether the sunscreen has provided the level of protection claimed for it.

Under the Fair Trading Act, it is illegal to market a product with misleading advertising. It is interesting that the Commerce Commission has been investigating four sunscreens since 2005 and still hasn't reached a decision. We say that manufacturers should be able to use tests to any recognised international standard to support their claims for sunscreen whether it is an Australian - New Zealand standard (AS/NZS2604:1998) or a European or US standard.

In the absence of regulation, we support the recommendations of the Cancer Society to look for the following on sunscreen labels:

• SPF 30+
• Broad Spectrum
• Complies with an international standard

Take extra care during the daylight savings months between 11.00 am and 4.00 pm when UV Index levels reach their peak. Remember - Slip, slop, slap and wrap.

Barbara Stewart MP