Dyson Ruth: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Dyson Ruth: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:662;Page:10663] 
8. 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Labour—Port Hills) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: Does he stand by all his recent statements on health services? 
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) 
: 
 Yes including the statement that the issues the member raises are clearly not the result of this Government reducing funding in health because it has provided the district health boards with $536 million extra funding this year. One of the major reasons for individual district health boards looking carefully at their service priorities is that the last Government set them on a track to delivering towards $200 million of unfunded services and we are endeavouring to fill that gap. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister should not go on too long in that vein. He was just asked whether he stood by his statement. 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: Given the $536 million extra in the health budget what does he say to Age Concern elder abuse coordinator— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I have called the Hon Ruth Dyson and her question should be heard. 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: What does he say to Age Concern— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I apologise to the Hon Ruth Dyson but there is so much noise I cannot hear her question and that is unreasonable. [ 
Interruption 
] I say to all members that while I am on my feet they must not interject. 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: What does he say to Age Concern elder abuse coordinator Jenny Michelle from Auckland’s North Shore who says that more elderly people who are trying to live safely in their own homes are now being denied Meals on Wheels help in an effort to save his health budget $5.13 per person per day? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: If those facts are correct and the member wants to make that information available to me I will look into the case. But I will tell members opposite that we are putting more money into health services and more and more New Zealanders are receiving better front-line services. 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: With 3000 elderly and frail people in the Southland District Health Board area 1500 in Canterbury and hundreds in Kapiti having their home support cut or reduced Horowhenua proposing to close its rehabilitation beds for older people and eye surgery at Nelson Hospital being reduced how many more cuts in health services for the elderly can be expected over the coming few months? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: First of all those numbers the member quotes are quite incorrect. 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister is implying that I am misleading the House and I take exception— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member will resume her seat immediately. The member inserted a string of what she claims are facts into her question. The Minister has disputed those figures and he is perfectly at liberty to do that. He is not saying that the member is misleading the House; he is just saying that his figures do not agree with the member’s figures and he is perfectly at liberty to do that. 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The member made another unparliamentary comment—the same as she made the last time the House sat—and she should apologise. 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: I withdraw and apologise. 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I say to those members to remember the history. That member’s Government stopped home support cleaning for 700 people in Otago-Southland. Ruth Dyson was the Minister for Disability Issues when that Government cut home cleaning for 300 people in Wanganui and she never said a word. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: What reports has he received on improving front-line services? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I have received reports indicating improved front-line services at the Counties Manukau District Health Board in South Auckland. Last year it delivered a record 15200 elective surgeries an increase of 14 percent. It made almost 30000 surgical first specialist assessments an increase of around 10 percent. The emergency department there is seeing more people faster. It is seeing around 90000 patients a year and it is meeting the new Government’s 6-hour maximum waiting target. Around 7000 patients attended a nurse-led clinic which is a 16 percent increase on the previous year. If members want to know where the additional money in health is going it is going into improved front-line services in priority areas that the party opposite neglected for years. 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: Why did he allow the 198 Youth Health Centre to close last Friday after assuring the public of New Zealand that it would give continued services to young people in Canterbury? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I am advised that the Waipuna Trust has been contracted to provide mental health services and alcohol and other drug services for young people for 6 months. It has employed the staff from the 198 Youth Health Centre and clients have transferred across. An existing local practice has accepted 198 Youth Health Centre patients. Records are transferred but youth can choose to go elsewhere. Youth sexual health services are available free at all practices across the city. The funding previously used for the 198 Youth Health Centre is supporting these new arrangements of front-line services in Christchurch.