8. Question No. 8—HealthDr SHANE RETI (National—Whangarei) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 8—Health8. Dr SHANE RETI (National—Whangarei) to the Minister of Health: How many respiratory ventilators are available across the health system and is he satisfied that New Zealand's health system is prepared for an outbreak of COVID-19?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Health): Internationally COVID-19 outbreaks are testing the capacity of even the most prepared health systems. That's why we are putting such a strong focus on stamping out the sporadic cases we've seen in New Zealand—to flatten and suppress the curve and reduce pressure on our health service. I'm advised that 238 ventilators are available in ICU and high-dependency unit beds. There are also 44 mobile ventilators across the public health system and 24 ventilators available at private hospitals. Some operating theatres and post-operative areas also have ventilators that could be used if necessary. DHB planning is also well advanced to ensure that we have the staff available in the right place at the right time to ensure the best use of equipment as required. The priority is to scale up capacity and that's why the Government has invested $32 million to purchase additional ventilated and non-ventilated ICU capacity as part of the $500 million package for health announced earlier this week to back our health professionals to combat COVID-19. Health workers are working around the clock to make this happen and I want to thank them for this.Dr Shane Reti: At any one time what percentage of the ventilators he has just mentioned are already in use most of the time for urgent care?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I don't have the exact number on that in front of me but what I can say is that the member will know that historically under-investment in our health system has meant that the number of ventilators is not as many as in some of the other health systems around the world. That of course is why we are putting such a strong focus on stamping out the sporadic cases we've seen in New Zealand to flatten and suppress the curve and reduce the pressure on our health service.Dr Shane Reti: How quickly can nationwide ventilator capacity be increased?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I appreciate that people want simple answers to complex questions. For example I'm aware that—[Interruption] SPEAKER: Order! Can I say that some of the prefixes that the Minister's using are winding up the Opposition and it means that I can't hear the answer. If he could just go straight to answering the question it would be useful.Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I will endeavour to do that. I am aware that work is under way looking at the feasibility of returning to service some recently retired equipment. We also need to ensure that we have the staff available to operate that vital equipment and I understand that additional training is already under way. What I can assure the House is that we will use this investment wisely and if more funding is required it will be made available.Dr Shane Reti: Are there currently more ventilators than there are qualified medical staff to run them?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: Again I do want to say that it's not quite as straightforward as that question sounds. We do have to plan for the contingency that some staff may not be well or may be in self-isolation. That is already the case in our health system. So there are a range of complex planning activities under way to ensure that we are as well prepared as anywhere else.Dr Shane Reti: When he said in this House on Tuesday no he didn't know how many coronavirus cases a day an average general practice had protective equipment for does he know today how many coronavirus cases a day an average general practice has protective equipment for and what is that number?SPEAKER: That question has no relationship with the primary or the supplementary. Dr Shane Reti: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Thank you. The primary question also asked about whether the health system is prepared for an outbreak of COVID-19 and I would submit—SPEAKER: Yes and subsequent clauses to primary questions relate to the primary part of the question otherwise it would be two questions. Question No. 9—the Hon Nikki Kaye. Question No. 10—Marama Davidson.