Media release from Labour Health spokesperson Ruth Dyson

The shambles that has been the consultation on part charges into the public sector draws to a close this week, Labour Health spokesperson Ruth Dyson says.

"The proposal seeks to give people with the ability to pay access to a wider range of hospital services provided in public hospitals than those who can't afford to pay," Ruth Dyson said.

"I continue to be concerned about the proposal providing preferential treatment for paying patients, but I am also deeply troubled by the appalling way in which the supposed consultation for this proposal has been handled.

"On Thursday the Otago DHB released a press statement entitled 'patients support top-up treatments' and claiming they only ever intended the proposal to be for cancer patients.

"Releasing a document claiming that patients support the proposal before the consultation has finished is nothing more than a blatant attempt to make people believe this is a patient led initiative. I also find it simply incompetent to release information five days before the consultation has finished claiming its about purchasing cancer drugs to save lives.

"The original 'Bridging the Gap' document makes it quite clear that Southland and Otago DHBs are considering this proposal to charge patients for additional services through their hospitals.

"This consultation has been so poorly handled there is no way it can be taken seriously, and the Minister of Health should step in to prevent these charges going ahead.

"So far senior doctors and nurses have spoken out against this 'two tier' health system proposal and the calls for it to be scrapped will only get louder."