Labour health spokesperson Ruth DysonWednesday 17 March 2010, 4:52PM
Media release from Labour health spokesperson Ruth
Dyson
Cut backs at the Ministry of Health have not resulted in resources
being moved to the frontline. The opposite will be the case, Labour
Health spokesperson Ruth Dyson says.
"The decision to make up to 130 people from the Ministry of Health
redundant is a done deal and will not result in better services for
New Zealanders," Ruth Dyson said.
"Labour supports increasing efficiency, but there is nothing
efficient about cutting back staff to then hire consultants and
reduce frontline services," Ruth Dyson said.
"Cut backs at the Ministry of Health will result in reductions for
the National Cancer Screening Unit, public health services and
swine flu planning and delivery of services.
"New Zealanders need good quality public services to ensure
patients get the services they need.
"While Tony Ryall is busy bragging about cutting jobs at the
Ministry he seems to have forgotten that he has planned for 800
jobs at the National Health Board.
"The National Health Board is little more than Tony Ryall's own
personal fiefdom with Government hack, Health Tsar Murray Horn, in
charge.
"While the Minister has been busy building his Wellington fiefdom,
almost every DHB in the country has been cutting services to
patients and communities," Ruth Dyson said.