King Annette: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeKing Annette: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 12 August 2015. Volume:707;Page:5697. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]2.Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Minister of Health: If Government health expenditure has not kept up with all inflationary pressures as he admitted 2 weeks ago what impact has this shortfall had on patients?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA (Associate Minister of Health)on behalf of theMinister of Health: When National came into Government in 2008 the total health budget in the Budget was $11.8 billion. This year the health budget is a record $15.9 billion. This additional investment of over $4 billion in tight times is seeing more patients being seen faster and being treated. National is increasing and managing the health budget whereas Labour blew—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! That part is unnecessary to the answer.Hon Annette King: Why did the Minister say in the House on 23 July that no data was ever collected showing the number of patients returned to their GP without being seen by a specialist when district health boards have been collecting such data for years and it now shows large increases in the number of people not getting seen after referral by their GP?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Sorry Mr Speaker I just did not catch the last part of that question. Could she please repeat it.Mr SPEAKER: I am going to invite the member to repeat the whole question.Hon Annette King: From the beginning?Mr SPEAKER: Yes.Hon Annette King: Why did the Minister say in the House on 23 July that no data has ever been collected showing the number of patients returned to their GP without being seen by a specialist when district health boards have been collecting such data for years and it now shows large increases in the number of people not getting seen after referral by their GP?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: If he said that at the time then that statement stands.Hon Annette King: Why has the number of patients returned back to their GP without being seen by a specialist increased in the Waikato District Health Board from 793 in 2010-11 to nearly 3000—Dr David Clark: How many?Hon Annette King: —3000—in 2014-15 if there is sufficient funding?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: I do not have those figures to hand in terms of the Waikato District Health Board. But what I do know and what the member knows is that over the last 6 years this Government has spent more than $257 million at the Waikato District Health Board. In fact that has funded over 124 more GPs in the front line and that has also led to 422 more nurses.Hon Annette King: Why has the number of patients returned to their GP without being seen by an ear nose and throat specialist in the Waitematā District Health Board almost doubled in the past 3 years alone?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Again I do not have that particular figure to hand but what I can say about the Waitematā District Health Board is that we have spent $310 million more in that district health board and that has led to 195 more doctors being hired.Joanne Hayes: Does he think that increased funding alone is enough to guarantee better services to patients?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: It is a good question. New Zealand has had two similar periods of increased health spending recently. In the last 7 years the health budget has increased by $4 billion as I said in the primary answer. That has resulted in 60000 more first specialist assessments 50000 more elective surgery operations and 400000 children benefiting from free GP visits and faster treatment for cancer. In the other period that I am referring to it resulted in fewer first specialist—Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no need to carry on.Hon Annette King: If there is sufficient funding in health why in nine district health boards alone have nearly 80000 patients been refused first specialist assessments since 2010-11 in almost the same period of time as the health funding has not kept up with inflationary pressures as the Minister said in the House?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: I do not know which nine district health boards that member is referring to but what I can say in terms of first specialist assessments—Hon Annette King: I’ve got the figures.Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Well you can tell us if you want—table it. What I can say is that there has been an increase in 60000 first specialist assessments since this Government took the Treasury benches.Hon Annette King: Does he believe that delays in patients getting a specialist assessment and access to diagnostic procedures can lead to irreversible and potentially fatal outcomes for patients; if not why not?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: In respect of the delays that member has not tabled anything or any evidence—Hon Annette King: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It is not what I have tabled. I asked a question about whether he believed delays—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am going to invite the member to repeat the question for the benefit of the Minister.Hon Annette King: Does he believe that delays in getting a specialist assessment and access to diagnostic procedures can lead to irreversible and potentially fatal outcomes for patients; if not why not?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: I am not aware of these delays or what the member is referring to in terms of the types of outcomes that she has outlined.