Public Health
Our Government is firmly committed to a strong and enduring public heath service for all New Zealanders. While our health workforce is world-class many people are concerned about the current state of our health system. Patients have become frustrated by unnecessary bureaucracy, long waits for patient assessment and specialised treatment.
We want reduced waiting times for patients and improved quality performance.
The Government will shortly be considering the recommendations that have come out of the ‘Meeting the Challenge’ report which has 170 recommendations on how to improve our country’s health services.
I am pleased to see some practical steps being taken locally to improve healthcare in our communities.
In the Horowhenua, three new doctors have been employed in a partnership arrangement between the MidCentral District Health Board, NZ Locums and the Horowhenua PHO.
Dr Sarah Stannett will be providing services at Shannon, Dr Anne Solomon at the Horowhenua Community Practice and Dr Kirsten Sauermann will work across both Foxton and Shannon. These new doctors will help ease some of the patient pressure for those on the GP waiting list.
I am also very pleased that the mobile surgical bus will be restarting its five weekly bus visits from October 28 to the Horowhenua Health Centre in Levin. Surgical bus staff treated 88 patients in 2007/08 from Horowhenua. This will reduce the need for some local patients to travel to Palmerston North for minor surgery.
Another promising step is that Capital & Coast District Health Board has provided $10,000 to help assess the future health needs of the Kapiti community. One of the options to be looked at is whether the Kapiti Health Centre is suitable to become an integrated family health centre.
These centres aim to provide a full range of services which can include GPs, minor surgery, chronic care, nursing and other health services. The study will also evaluate whether facilities need to be upgraded at the health centre and guage the level of any private sector interests.
We have some specific healthcare needs on the Kapiti Coast because of the high proportion of residents aged over 65 years, the distance from a base hospital and because we are one of the fastest growing areas in New Zealand.
I look forward to the report’s completion later this year. I am committed to making sure we see some tangible results.