Borrows Chester: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Borrows Chester: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:630;Page:2573] 
12.  
CHESTER BORROWS (National—Whanganui) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: Does he have confidence that ambulance services in provincial areas are appropriately resourced to ensure community safety; if not why not? 
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Health) 
: 
 Yes I do and so does Mr Pennycock the regional ambulance officer in Wanganui who has said publicly that the city is adequately resourced and does not have gaping holes in services. 
Chester Borrows 
: How can he have confidence when last month in Wanganui the failure of a recently installed dispatch system meant that an ambulance was dispatched 20 minutes late by which time a rest home resident had died from choking and when conscientious paramedics had complained for 6 weeks that calls were being missed and nothing was done? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I am not aware of that instance but I can tell the member that the ambulance communication project for the country will be rolled out on 1 July this year. This will seriously significantly improve communications with ambulances. 
Darren Hughes 
: When did the issue of ambulance services in Wanganui first come to public attention? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: Most recently about 4 months ago to the day at which point Mr Borrows said he was going to take it up with me. Apart from a few parliamentary questions I am still waiting. 
Dr Pita Sharples 
: He aha iatawhakaaroainga tohunga kaimahi me ngaapihapukumahi o te Ropu Waka Turoro ki Whanganui ki te kore ratou e haere ki te mahi kia whakaatuai ki te ao inga raruraru kuatau mai ki rungai a ratou me toratouhapori; a he aha he mahi mana ma te Minita ki te whakatikatikai o ratouawangawanga? 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Why have the professional and dedicated officers of the local St John Ambulance in Wanganui seriously contemplated going on strike to highlight the vulnerability of their community and 
 themselves; and what action will he the Minister take to address their concerns? 
] 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: The Government pays St John Ambulance and other ambulance providers money to provide contracted services and how that money is distributed is substantially up to the provider. It is a matter of fact that the amount of money paid by this Government for ambulance services in New Zealand has risen by 17 percent over 3 years—not the sort of increase that one could come up with if one was in a party that had large tax cuts on its mind as the National Party does. One can spend money around here but once. One spends it either on services or on tax cuts. 
Dr Pita Sharples 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. The question asked: what action will the Minister be taking on this matter? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: Shall I say something more? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Yes. I thought you had addressed the question. 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: Let me explain to the member that the Government sets standards for ambulance services. It provides money to ambulance services to provide those services. How the money is distributed one town to another is up to the ambulance services involved. 
Chester Borrows 
: Does the Minister believe that the people of Wanganui should be confident in the resourcing of their local ambulance services when last month in Wanganui a single-crew ambulance officer was unable to manage a quadriplegic patient who was choking and turning blue and who would have died if another vehicle had not been able to respond? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I am delighted another vehicle was able to respond. 
Chester Borrows 
: Does the Minister still stand by his comment in the  
Manawatu 
 Standard 
 on 6 September 2005: “… there is no intention to double crew in all situations only emergencies where more than one officer is necessary.”; or does he accept that an emergency service such as an ambulance service by definition is one where preparation should always be made for the best response to an emergency or should people ring a taxi in the first instance? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: The ambulance communication project to be rolled out nationally from 1 July will enable a degree of triaging so that with some certainty we can send the right people in the right quantity to the right place at the right time. 
Chester Borrows 
: I seek leave to table an article from the  
Manawatu 
 Standard  
where the Minister of Health said as the then Associate Minister of Health that he had no intention to double-crew ambulances. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that article. Is there any objection? There is objection.