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Leader's LetterMARCH 2005
The Health Of The NationIt was unfortunate that the State of the Nation address given by the Prime Minister did not really give anyone a true picture of the state of the nation’s health.While the Government was busy telling New Zealanders just how well off we all are, the deficiencies in our health system were being felt by all sectors of society. One of the many areas of concern is the hospital dental service. This service is totally relied upon by the parents of young children who need to be anaesthetised in order for dental treatment to be carried out. Unfortunately there are an increasing number of under 5 year olds having many teeth extracted or multiple fillings and of course, for many special needs children, this is the only way that oral health can be maintained at a reasonable level. Dental therapists and dentists are unable to treat these patients and they are obliged to go into the hospital dental system. The waiting times for this service are totally outrageous.In Wellington last year there was a 12- month waiting list for children requiring a general anaesthetic. This is not an isolated case - this has also occurred in other district health board areas. This is a totally unsatisfactory situation for children and for their parents or caregivers who have to deal with this situation. It is also unacceptable to find that many children in New Zealand are suffering from Third World diseases that are directly related to poverty, poor housing and overcrowding. There are an increasing number of preventable hospital admissions for diseases like whooping cough, skin infections and gastroenteritis. A further area of concern is that the PHO’s are not delivering cheaper care for over 65’s in all locations as was promised by the Minister of Health. Senior citizens are charged at different rates according to their location. The Minister has created a system which allows this inequity to occur, and it must be corrected. GPs are private businesses and operate to make a profit - they are not public servants who work for stipulated salaries. Barbara Stewart MP
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