Scott Lynda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Scott Lynda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:608;Page:5102] 
9.  
Dr LYNDA SCOTT (NZ National—Kaikoura) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: Has every district health board by now a comprehensive action plan for community and hospital care of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome and a budget to meet that action plan? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Health) 
: 
 Yes. Every board now has a comprehensive action plan for the community and hospital care of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) and a budget to meet that action plan. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: Why when the admission of a suspected Sars patient to Auckland Hospital prompted an urgent review of procedures on 19 March are staff there still scared and why has Dr Colin McArthur described the hospital as “having a physically inadequate environment”? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: In the week since Sars was first notified as a disease many changes have been made in the handling of this case as have been described and explained to the member in the briefings given in my office and the regular updates that have been given to all Opposition spokespeople. However Colin McArthur has also said he believes that Auckland Hospital is well prepared to handle a case of Sars which we will inevitably get in New Zealand at some stage. 
Steve Chadwick 
: Has the Minister seen any comments that nurses feel vulnerable because they do not have the resources to assist patients and are at risk of catching the disease themselves; if so what feedback has she received? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Yes the Nurses Organisation informed me today that nurses are anxious to provide good care and it is generally satisfied that they have the knowledge to provide that care safely. The organisation is comfortable that nurses have the knowledge and the equipment needed and that nurses around New Zealand are generally expressing satisfaction with the preparedness of hospitals. 
Pita Paraone 
: Notwithstanding the importance of internal community and hospital care is the Minister confident in her border control provisions given a recent newspaper report with regard to a man treated for Sars who arrived at Auckland airport from Thailand “coughing his guts out” who was not screened by officials and who had to admit himself to hospital after arriving in Christchurch? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: There have been two suspected cases of Sars to date. That was not one of them. However as the member probably now knows we have nurses at our major airports who are checking people for symptoms as they come through. Coughing and hacking on their own are not symptoms of Sars. Sars has other symptoms as well. 
Heather Roy 
: Can the Minister deny that New Zealand does not have enough face masks of a standard to guarantee the protection of all nurses and doctors against Sars and can she give a guarantee that New Zealand will have enough before this disease hits the country? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Unfortunately the member was unable to attend the briefing that was given this morning. However her researcher was there and he asked that question. He was assured that at this stage we do have enough masks in New Zealand. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: Why did it take a television documentary to expose the inadequate environment for treating suspected Sars patients at Auckland Hospital given that the Minister has described the arrival of Sars in New Zealand as inevitable? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: It certainly did not take the  
Sunday 
 programme to expose any inadequacies at Auckland Hospital. In fact David Sage who is the chief medical officer for the Auckland board said that the programme was disappointingly alarmist. The member raised the issue of one room that was shown on the  
Sunday 
 programme. She may be interested to know that Auckland Hospital has a total of 30 negative-pressure beds and there are 43 ventilated beds in the Auckland region. That does not sound like a region that is unprepared.