5. Question No. 5—HealthHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 5—Health5. Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) to the Minister of Health: Is he satisfied with the performance of the health system this year?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Health): My concern as Minister of Health is that New Zealanders get the services they need. I'm satisfied that more people are receiving more care from our health services. I'm satisfied that we're making progress rolling out new front-line mental health services and that we have New Zealand's first ever suicide prevention office up and running. I'm satisfied that making it cheaper for 600000 people to visit their GP has made it easier for people to get the care they need when they need it. I'm satisfied that the newly established Cancer Control Agency will drive improved care and better outcomes. Of course it will take time for our health services to fully recover from nine years of neglect and there is more work to be done but I am satisfied that we are on the right track and we're making progress.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Is he sure the health service is delivering more health for New Zealanders when the only published data are all showing indicators going backward on his watch?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I refute the second part of the question clearly.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Well does he stand by his statement I want to see meaningful and transparent measures of progress in health." and if so is he satisfied that his removal of published elective surgery throughput is consistent with that statement?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I yesterday spent some time sharing with the member some of the shortcomings of the narrow set of political targets the previous Government chose and I can tell the member today good news: 5000 more planned care interventions happened in the last year more New Zealanders are getting more care in appropriate settings. This Government will have to take time to address all of the neglect that we've inherited but we're making good progress.Michael Wood: Well is he satisfied that under his leadership DHB deficits have ballooned to over $1.1 billion?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: As the member knows full well DHB deficits have been building up since 2013 and the bulk of this year's deficits relate to one-off costs incurred during his and Simon Bridges' Government's time. That includes $772 million to put right a decade of underpayment to nurses doctors and other health workers. We're going to put that right. We're going to make sure they are paid appropriately unlike what the previous Government did and I want to take this time to thank the doctors and nurses and allied health workers who were underpaid under the previous Government's watch. That is something we want to put right. There are many long-term challenges we've still got to sort out but I think the former Minister needs to look in the mirror when he's raising concerns about this year's deficit most of which relates to historic problems created by that Government.Hon Michael Woodhouse: But is he satisfied that in the year of delivery he is delivering poorer health outcomes for New Zealanders?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: The member is flat out wrong. This Government is delivering cheaper doctors visits: 57000 fewer people say they can't afford to go to the GP than they could a year ago. We've made a record investment into mental health and addiction. We've rolled out new front-line mental health services. We rolled out Mana Ake a programme in Kaikōura and Canterbury for children in the wake of the earthquakes in primary and intermediate schools. We rolled out Piki free counselling for young people in the Wellington and Manawatū area. We've rolled out a suicide prevention office—New Zealand's first ever suicide prevention office. We've got an interim Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission up and running. In the cancer control area we've got a cancer action plan. We've got a Cancer Control Agency. We've funded 12 new linear accelerators. We've got Pharmac approving five new cancer drugs since the Budget. We've got bowel screening rolled out to 10 DHBs; 420 cancers detected early when there is better prospect of having life-saving interventions. We're rebuilding and upgrading our hospitals: $2.45 billion set aside to address the neglect we've inherited—$2.45 billion. That is more than twice what the previous Government set aside in their whole nine years. Mr Speaker there is so much more I could say but I fear you will not let me continue."