Annette King MP for Rongotai and Grant Robertson MP for Wellington Central Friday 03 September 2010, 11:42AM
Media release from Labour's Annette King MP for Rongotai and
Grant Robertson MP for Wellington Central
The plan to cut home help for 500 elderly is disastrous and will
cause irreparable harm say MP for Rongotai Annette King and
Wellington Central MP Grant Robertson.
"The decision to deny any elderly person needing help with
cleaning, heavy lifting, meal preparation, without an assessment,
breaks a promise made by Capital and Coast DHB and the Minister of
Health," Annette King said.
"We were promised in June that people were being assessed and now
we learn that there will that any elderly person needing help with
domestic issues and who doesn't have a community services card will
be cut off from that help.
"Basically if you are just one dollar over the cut off point for a
community services card, or you don't require assistance with
personal hygiene, then you won't be getting home help.
"Labour instigated a nationwide inquiry into the treatment of
elderly in health services along with the Green Party and Grey
Power because of ongoing concerns about Government cutbacks in
elder care. Today's announcement shows that elderly are being
targeted for cost cutting, rather than looking at what their health
needs are," Annette King said.
Grant Robertson said he was concerned that the across the board
decision to stop domestic assistance for anyone without a community
services card was not based on need but on cost cutting.
"This decision doesn't look at whether helping someone prepare
meals or clean their house keeps them out of hospital or a
resthome. It's a short-sighted cut that will cause many elderly a
great deal of concern.
"Annette King and myself have both had elderly come into our
electorate offices seriously worried about the cutbacks that are
happening in the health sector," Grant Robertson said.
"Just a few weeks ago the Chief Executive of Capital and Coast DHB
Ken Whelan, a man of integrity, announced he was resigning because
he did not want to cut patient services," Annette King said.
"Now we can see just how deep some of the cuts to health services
in Wellington are going to be. Health Minister Tony Ryall, when
questioned about health cuts, has repeatedly claimed that there is
more money going to frontline services.
"But answer this Mr Ryall. If more money is going to frontline
health services, why are 500 elderly in the Wellington region now
being denied home help?" Annette King said.
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