Dunne Peter: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Dunne Peter: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:613;Page:9711] 
7.  
Hon PETER DUNNE (Leader—United Future) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: Does the Ministry of Health monitor the amount of spare capacity in both the public and the private health-care sectors; if not why not? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Associate Minister of Health) 
 on behalf of the 
 Minister of Health 
: Yes the Ministry of Health monitors public capacity but has no jurisdiction to monitor private provider capacity. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: How then can the Minister stand by her statement to the New Zealand Private Hospitals Association that “the Government is committed to public-private partnerships” when her ministry has no idea what capacity exists in the private sector; or does this reflect her inability to do anything more than encourage district health boards to engage the private sector leading to tragic situations like the one at Wellington Hospital recently where several patients died after their operations were postponed because the hospital refuses to make use of available surgical services at the private Wakefield Hospital nearby? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: Although I cannot refer to the particular case that the member referred to I know that since 2000 district health boards have had in place a partnership protocol with the private sector that enables them to utilise any spare capacity in the private sector in the interests of public patients. 
Steve Chadwick 
: Does the Government have a “State provider only” ideology? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: No. In fact I will quote a letter from the Private Hospitals Association Chief Executive Officer Andrew Blair: “You may be interested to know that Chris Clarke the CEO of the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board and I showcased the successful public-private partnership that is evolving in the Hawke’s Bay for the good of the community. We both acknowledge your support for such initiative. Thank you again for your ongoing support of the New Zealand Private Hospitals Association.” That quote is from a letter to the Minister of Health and states clearly the Minister’s support for that protocol between the private and public sectors. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: Is the Minister aware that as of this morning there is only one neonatal cot available for premature babies in all of New Zealand; and will we now have to use spare capacity in Australia to cover this New Zealand public capacity crisis? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: I was not aware of the situation that has developed this morning. It is often left to the public sector to carry out complicated procedures to protect the people of New Zealand. In areas of health we have had to refer people to Australia on occasion. I am sure that the Government will do everything it can to ensure the best quality health-care for New Zealanders both young and old. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: Noting the Minister’s answer that there is an effective public-private partnership in operation and bearing in mind the comments made earlier that there have been patient deaths at Wellington Hospital this year because there has been an unwillingness to utilise resources at the nearby Wakefield Hospital will he now inquire formally into why Wellington Hospital did not refer those patients on to Wakefield Hospital where surgery could have been carried out successfully and their lives saved? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: I make a commitment to the member that we will investigate that situation. We are aware that there are sometimes problems in both the public and private sectors. The public sector is often left to pick up the pieces and there have been situations at Wakefield Hospital whereby complications have arisen and Wellington Hospital has been asked to tidy up those situations. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: Does that last answer not take us right back to where we started in that these sorts of issues would be best dealt with if the Ministry of Health monitored spare capacity in both the public and private sectors and treated the health system as one integrated system rather than as one with two separate arms and legs? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: I am sure that the successful public-private partnership protocol should identify spare capacity in the private sector. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: I seek leave to table a document about hospital cot status showing that Middlemore Waikato Wellington Christchurch and Dunedin hospitals have no beds for premature births. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that statement. Is there any objection? There is.