8. Health Services—PerformanceDr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin North) to the Minister of HealthHealth Services—PerformanceDr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin North): My question is to the Minister of Health—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! We will just wait for a bit of silence. Now the member can start his question again.8. Dr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin North) to the Minister of Health: After 9 years of a National Government is he satisfied with a health system where 533000 people can't afford to see their GP nearly 60000 don't get recommended specialist appointments mental health system failings are regularly in the news and health sector leaders complain about the performance of his health ministry?Mr SPEAKER: Is the member here?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Health): Yes I am here.Mr SPEAKER: Well stand and call.Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: You have not called me yet.Mr SPEAKER: No I do not; you stand first.Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: OK.Grant Robertson: New member! He's been here 9 years!Mr SPEAKER: I am very patient even with members who have been here a while. In calling the Minister my office has been advised that the answer may be slightly longer than normal.Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: See you had not finished what you were going to say. Anyway in the Government's constant quest for excellence we are never satisfied but I can say with confidence that almost all of the 100 key health services have significantly improved under this Government. I have a few examples which I believe the member would benefit from hearing. First specialist assessments (FSAs) were down 2000 under Labour; under this Government they are up 148000. Elective surgery rates went backwards under Labour; under this Government the annual increase has trebled with 172000 carried out. Emergency departments were slow and clogged under Labour; under this Government 93 percent of people are now seen within 6 hours. Immunisation rates under Labour were that of a Third World nation; under this Government 93 percent of 8-month-olds are now immunised. Under this Government all under-13s now receive free GP visits and prescriptions. Cancer care under Labour saw patients sent to Australia for basic services but under this Government 82 percent of patients are seen within 62 days right here in New Zealand. Not only that but under Labour nothing was invested into bowel cancer screening and under this Government we are rolling out a national bowel-screening programme. Almost all 100 key health services improved under this Government. You would be hard pressed to find many that have not.Dr David Clark: After 9 years will he finally admit that New Zealand Orthopaedic Association (NZOA) president Richard Keddell is right: that the current approach to planning for future demand for surgery is arbitrary and disconnected and will mean New Zealanders needing joint replacements and other orthopaedic surgery will have to live in pain because they can't get the surgery they need."?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I welcome the NZOA contribution to the debate but it acknowledged that orthopaedic surgeries have increased on average by about 30 percent. FSAs have increased dramatically. And of course that is on top of 50000 extra electives per year and 148000 extra first specialist assessments.Dr David Clark: After 9 years will he today apologise to the staff he has insulted the sector leaders he has not met with and the hard-working health professionals doctors nurses and those in the allied workforce whom he has stretched to breaking point as Minister of an underfunded health system with dysfunctional leadership?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I believe that the only person I have insulted is the member and it has been thoroughly deserved. But apart from that the money that has gone into health has increased by $5 billion. There are an extra 6900 doctors and nurses. As I said before there are 50000 more operations 148000 more first specialist assessments—I could go on and on. But I can tell you that the biggest danger for New Zealand is that Labour gets to run the health system again.Dr David Clark: After 9 years will he finally stand up to the current leader of his party and join with Labour in rejecting election year tax cuts skewed towards the wealthy and commit today to $8 billion more than is currently planned for health funding over the next 4 years?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: When it comes to funding Labour cannot do its sums properly. Its pledge of $856 million next year is actually less than our $888 million this year. So not only can it not provide the services it cannot count either."