Labour health spokesperson Ruth Dyson Wednesday 28 April 2010, 3:10PM
Media release from Labour health spokesperson Ruth
Dyson
Despite increasing the spend on health services in the last
budget, National have cut more than 50 frontline patient services,
Labour Health spokesperson Ruth Dyson says.
"More money fewer services, it's a shocking indictment on a
Government that campaigned on less bureaucracy and more services,"
Ruth Dyson said.
"Instead of less bureaucracy we now have Tony Ryall's new empire of
the National Health Board, and no money moved from backroom to
frontline services.
"We now have thousands of elderly going without home-help in a
number of areas around the country, Taranaki and MidCentral DHBs
currently going through the process of cutting patient services,
and others such as West Coast clearly about to start slashing
services.
"I find it interesting that Minister of Health Tony Ryall's answer
to questions about the loss of patient's services is that he has
increased the budget.
"The reality is services across the country are being cut because
Tony Ryall is telling DHBs to cut them.
"Mr Ryall told New Zealanders he would solve the financial issues
of DHBs by cutting back bureaucracy he has failed and instead he is
now cutting patient services.
"This year Labour expects the Minister will put approximately $350
million of additional spending into health and that despite this,
cuts to patient services will continue to increase.
"Record spending in health seems to mean record cuts in health
services under a National Government.
"I am sure Mr Ryall will deliver some nice sounding press release
about spending on Budget Day but in reality he is a Minister who
has failed New Zealanders when it comes to accessing health
services.
"National should change its health manifesto to read, less service,
less care and more cuts," Ruth Dyson said.