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Leader's LetterMarch 2004
Health System in CrisisTHE HEALTH SYSTEM in New Zealand is at crisis point with waiting lists longer than ever, patients’ eligibility for operations being tested by a ridiculous “pain-ranking” system and GPs fl eeing because of appalling working conditions and increasing bureaucracy. In 1999, Labour promised to cut waiting lists yet we hear every day about patients who are waiting for years for operations or are being referred back to their GPs. It is now reported that patients waiting for gallstone surgery must suffer at least four attacks of severe pain and vomiting before they will even be considered for surgery. This new type of pain-ranking is outrageous and is obviously a last resort by a health board with inadequate resources to cope with the number of patients needing treatment. As well as this, GPs say they are unhappy with their working conditions and that fewer than 30 percent of them believe they will still be practising in four years. These are just more examples of a government that has failed to deliver on its promises. While it sits on a huge budget surplus to flaunt during election year it continually fails to deliver the resources needed to solve the health problems of New Zealanders. It is time for the Government to use some of this surplus immediately on the crumbling health system. Asset Testing RemainsThe Government has missed another opportunity to keep its promise to remove asset testing for the elderly in long term care. The Social Security (Long Term Residential Care) Amendment Bill was supposed to remove income and asset testing. Raising the threshold of retainable assets is not removing asset testing, which was promised in the last two election campaigns. The Government is not removing asset testing in its entirety and this Bill will not improve matters. Exodus of health professionalsThe exodus of health professionals from New Zealand to financially greener pastures is continuing and the Government has to act now to stop it before the shortage of health professionals reaches crisis point. Following the departure of our doctors and nurses to Australia we now have pharmacists being actively recruited for positions in Ireland. The Government needs to be more proactive about keeping track of the number of health professionals who are leaving and introduce inducements for them to stay – like acceptable working conditions and adequate health resources. Barbara Stewart
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