﻿Mr SPEAKER: Question No 2, Hon Annette King.
Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour)
to the Minister of Health: If Government health expenditure has not kept up
with all inflationary pressures, as he admitted 2 weeks ago, what impact
has this shortfall had on patients?
Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA (Associate Minister of Health)
on behalf of the Minister of Health: When National came into Government in 2008,
the total health budget in the Budget was $11.8 billion. This year the health budget
is a record $15.9 billion. This additional investment of over $4 billion in tight times
is seeing more patients being seen faster and being treated.
National is increasing and managing the health budget, whereas Labour blew—
Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! That part is unnecessary to the answer.
Hon Annette King: Why did the Minister say in the House on 23 July that no data
was ever collected showing the number of patients returned to their GP
without being seen by a specialist, when DHBs have been collecting
such data for years, and it now shows large increases in the number of people
not getting seen after referral by their GP?
Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Sorry, Mr Speaker, I just did not catch
the last part of that question. Could she please repeat it.
Mr SPEAKER: I am going to invite the member to repeat the whole question.
Hon Annette King: >From the beginning?
Mr SPEAKER: Yes.
Hon Annette King: Why did the Minister say in the House on 23 July
that no data has ever been collected showing the number of patients returned
to their GP without being seen by a specialist, when DHBs have been
collecting such data for years, and it now shows large increases
in the number of people not getting seen after referral by their GP?
Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: If he said that at the time, then that statement stands.
[MEMBERS INTERJECT]
Hon Annette King: Why has the number of patients returned back to their GP
without being seen by a specialist increased in the Waikato DHB
from 793 in 2010-11 to nearly 3,000—
Dr David Clark: How many?
Hon Annette King: —3,000—in 2014-15, if there is sufficient funding?
Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: I do not have those figures to hand in terms
of the Waikato DHB. But what I do know, and what the member knows,
is that over the last 6 years this Government has spent more than $257 million
at the Waikato DHB. In fact, that has funded over 124 more GPs in the front line,
and that has also led to 422 more nurses.
Hon Annette King: Why has the number of patients returned to their GP
without being seen by an ear, nose, and throat specialist in the Waitematā DHB
almost doubled in the past 3 years alone?
Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Again, I do not have that particular figure to hand,
but what I can say about the Waitematā DHB is that we have spent $310 million more
in that DHB, and that has led to 195 more doctors being hired.
Joanne Hayes: Does he think that increased funding alone is enough
to guarantee better services to patients?
Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: It is a good question.
NZ has had two similar periods of increased health spending recently.
In the last 7 years, the health budget has increased by $4 billion, as I said
in the primary answer. That has resulted in 60,000 more first specialist assessments,
50,000 more elective surgery operations, and 400,000 children benefiting
from free GP visits and faster treatment for cancer. In the other period that I am
referring to, it resulted in fewer first specialist—
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no need to carry on.
Hon Annette King: If there is sufficient funding in health,
why in nine DHBs alone have nearly 80,000 patients been refused
first specialist assessments since 2010-11, in almost the same period of time
as the health funding has not kept up with inflationary pressures,
as the Minister said in the House?
Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: I do not know which nine DHBs that member
is referring to, but what I can say in terms of first specialist assessments—
Hon Annette King: I’ve got the figures.
Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Well, you can tell us if you want—table it.
I can say there has been an increase in 60,000 first specialist assessments
since this Government took the Treasury benches.
Hon Annette King: Does he believe that delays in patients getting
a specialist assessment and access to diagnostic procedures can lead
to irreversible and potentially fatal outcomes for patients; if not, why not?
Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: In respect of the delays, that member has not tabled
anything or any evidence—
Hon Annette King: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.
It is not what I have tabled. I asked a question about whether he believed delays—
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am going to invite the member to repeat the question
for the benefit of the Minister.
Hon Annette King: Does he believe that delays in getting a specialist assessment
and access to diagnostic procedures can lead to irreversible and potentially fatal
outcomes for patients; if not, why not?
Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: I am not aware of these delays or what the member
is referring to in terms of the types of outcomes that she has outlined.
Mr SPEAKER: Question No 3.
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