5. Question No. 5—HealthDr SHANE RETI (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 5—Health5. Dr SHANE RETI (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of Health: Why didn't he add any new resourced ICU beds in Auckland in the year before the current outbreak and what recommendations about ICU capacity if any were included in the two recent models he identified in his answer to written question No. 42142?Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Health): Significant work has been undertaken since March 2020 to provide for surge ICU capacity across the Auckland region and provide for longer-term security. Of the metro Auckland DHBs Waitematā has surge capacity up from eight ICU beds to 28 and Counties Manukau up from 24 to 40 so the member's assertion in his question is in fact wrong. To the second part of the question my answer to written question No. 42142 described percentage models developed by specialists working in two DHBs that are not in Auckland. I'm advised that the models pertained to scenario planning for if New Zealand's borders were opened and that neither model contained explicit recommendations. When considering models it's important to recognise that not all COVID-19 patients need to be in ICU or on a ventilator. The best way to keep people out of ICU in any model or under any scenario is to have as many eligible New Zealanders vaccinated as possible and that is what we are trying to achieve.Dr Shane Reti: What in-patient procedures are not undertaken under the surge model that he has just described for ICUs?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I'm not quite sure what surge model the member is referring to except to say that when there is an outbreak there is necessarily disruption to health services. If it is contained and local that disruption can be confined to the particular hospital or hospitals in that region. If it is more widespread then other hospitals may be affected. The reality is in the response to a pandemic such as we have seen when there is a risk or a reasonably high probability that there will be a high number of admissions to hospital and to ICUs hospitals clear their planned care lists so that both space or beds and personnel are available to provide the care that is needed.Dr Shane Reti: Does he agree it would have been prudent to use the past 16 months to add at least some persistent ICU beds in our largest city given there is a global pandemic?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: Well that is in fact what has happened and if you have a look at what Waitematā for example has done and what Counties Manukau has done they have created extra standing ICU capacity for their hospitals. Other DHBs have done the same again. But the preparation that has happened since the end of last year having reflected on last year's lockdowns is to make sure that across our hospital network there is additional capacity that can be brought on at short notice and additional surge capacity that can bring our ICU bed capacity to up to 550.Dr Shane Reti: Will he commit to adding at least one extra resourced ICU bed in Auckland in the next month?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: Well that is already happening because this is a Government that having reflected on what happened in the lockdowns last year and doing the work to prepare for the ongoing management of COVID-19 continues to support our health system to be prepared for the ongoing response to the pandemic and when we get to the point of a highly vaccinated population and start relaxing the restrictions including border restrictions we will have a health system that is capable of responding to COVID wherever it turns up in New Zealand.Dr Shane Reti: When he said yesterday that prior conduct is the best indicator of future conduct does this mean he plans to add no significant new standing ICU beds given he hasn't added any in the last 16 months?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: No. That was a comment in reference to the appalling conduct of the previous National Government and its absolute and utter failure to continue to invest in our public health system to keep New Zealanders safe because what we know about National Governments is they just do not care about our public health system.