Media release from the Public Service Association

The Public Service Association remains concerned that the government is looking at yet another expensive and disruptive restructuring of the health sector.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has released a report recommending 170 changes to the public health system. This includes creating a National Health Board to monitor the country's district health boards.

Mr Ryall stated on Radio New Zealand over the weekend that the proposals "can't be described as a radical shake up."

"Creating a new National Health Board and making up to 170 changes to the health system looks like very much like a radical restructuring," says PSA national secretary, Richard Wagstaff.

"Health workers and the health system have been through numerous restructurings over the years."

"Our concern is that we're going to go through another expensive and disruptive restructuring with no guarantee that this will improve the delivery of health services."

"We recognise that there's always scope to make improvements in the delivery of any service."

"But we question whether spending a lot of time and money re-inventing the wheel, as we've done so many times in the health sector, is going to achieve this."

"As we and other organisations in the health sector have said, establishing a new National Health Board looks like recycling of the failed health funding authorities from the 1990s."

"We should remember that we started out with four regional health funding authorities which were scrapped and replaced by a single authority, which was also scrapped, because they failed to deliver improve health service delivery."

"We're also concerned that the Minister's constant call to reduce the health 'bureaucracy' will lead to essential administrative support workers being cut."

"Doctors, nurses, radiotherapists and other clinical workers can't do their job without the support of clerical and administrative staff."

"We must ensure that clinical staff don't end up having to do the administrative work required to run our public hospitals instead of being free to focus on their patients."

"Mr Ryall should also remember how much he and the country has relied on staff at the Ministry of Health to combat the spread of swine flu as he continues to call for cuts to the so called 'health bureaucracy'," says Richard Wagstaff.