Hutchison Paul: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Hutchison Paul: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:618;Page:14311] 
12.  
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (National—Port Waikato) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: Does she believe the amount of elective surgery currently being performed by the Canterbury District Health Board is meeting the needs of Canterbury residents; if so why? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Acting Minister of Health) 
: 
 As the Canterbury District Health Board said last week the amount of elective surgery at Christchurch Hospital has gone up this year not down. The hospital has met its targets and increased the amount of elective surgery it has delivered in the financial year ending 30 June. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: Given that the Minister said in 1999 that Labour was committed to implementing a timely elective surgery system does she accept that a 15-month delay for elderly cataract sufferers in Canterbury is neither timely nor meets their needs? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: In response to the new Opposition spokesperson on health I am happy to say that we do not like having anyone wait for surgery. However it is a reality of any health system and with regard to cataract operations the Minister of Health has committed to a cataract project to investigate the delays in this area of surgery. 
Lianne Dalziel 
: Can the Minister advise whether Canterbury residents will benefit at all from the extra funding in Vote Health for major orthopaedics operations which amounts to $30 million for this year and rises to $70 million a year in 4 years’ time; if so how? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: In response to a member who really cares about Canterbury yes Canterbury will be funded for an extra 250 major hip and knee operations this year at a cost of an extra $3.79 million. By year 4 of the project it will receive an extra $7.6 million a year in sustainable funding for extra hip and knee operations. By then the rates of intervention in Canterbury will be among the best in the world dramatically improving the quality of life for thousands of Canterbury people. 
Barbara Stewart 
: Can the Minister explain why many people under the Canterbury District Health Board have to wait longer than 6 months for their first consultation with a specialist? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: As we work through the number of people who are looking to improve their quality of life through elective surgery there will always be pressure points but I am pleased to say that we have had an increase of 122 in general elective surgery operations 48 in dental and 81 in neurology. We are spending billions of dollars more in health and access to health care for every New Zealander is improving. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: Does she accept that patients in Canterbury with cataracts feel there is nothing timely about their waiting lists or in meeting their needs given that the number of operations performed has halved from 1200 in 1999-2000 under National to only 600 in 2002-03? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: While I do not have the figures in front of me I do accept there has been a reduction in the cataract area of ophthalmology. The Minister has committed to investigate this very area to make sure that people have better access. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: I seek leave to table a copy of an article from the  
Press 
 of 21 July 2004 titled “Elective Surgery Rates Plummet” which shows that there were 1200 cataract operations in 2000 and only 600 in 2002. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: I seek leave to table the response put out the day after by the Canterbury District Health Board that refutes the claims made in that article. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Ron Mark 
: I seek the leave of the House to table written questions that I have put to the Minister of Health on this issue that she simply fobbed off telling me that this is the district health board’s responsibility. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table those written questions. Is there any objection? There is.