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:606;Page:3636] 
4.  
Dr LYNDA SCOTT (NZ National—Kaikoura) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: Is the reason that the three Auckland district health boards refuse to settle the pharmacy contract and pay pharmacists the same rate as 15 other district health boards because of the financial crisis the Auckland district health boards are facing with a combined projected deficit of over $100 million and her instructions to them to get rid of their deficits; if not what is the reason? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Associate Minister of Health) 
 on behalf of the 
 Minister of Health 
: No that is not the reason the three Auckland district health boards refused to settle the pharmacy contract and pay pharmacists the same rate as 15 other district health boards. It is not because of the financial crisis at the Auckland District Health Board. It is because this is a devolved contract and the Auckland district health boards have decided to continue to consult and work with the pharmacists in the area as is their right irrespective of the outcome of any negotiations. This will not affect payments made by patients because district health boards are required to ensure that patients pay no more than the user charges set down by the Government in the Crown funding agreement. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: As the three Auckland district health boards have been funded for a 5.12 percent increase in the number of prescriptions and the projected growth of Auckland is 2 percent Counties-Manukau 5.5 percent and Waitemata 4 percent for the 2003 year are the district health boards once again just keeping the extra money to pay off their crisis-level deficits at the expense of burnt-out community pharmacists; if not why will they not settle? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: No that is not the reason as I stated in the first response to the member’s question. The three district health boards will receive an extra $149 million in the next year. They will as the member states receive a 5.1 percent increase in the amount of money for pharmaceuticals. I have the utmost confidence as does the Minister of Health that those pharmacists will continue to provide safe pharmaceutical services to the people of those district health board areas. 
Steve Chadwick 
: What are the three Auckland district health boards discussing with pharmacists? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: I am advised that the three Auckland district health boards do not want to increase dispensing fees without exploring directly with pharmacists other ways to develop agreements. Those agreements should recognise the challenges and opportunities for patients pharmacists and district health boards by discussing the financial risk around dispensing costs including avoiding uncapped demand-driven cost increases. District health boards are also looking to increase the opportunity for pharmacists’ services to be integrated into the primary health-care strategy and see a role for pharmacists in district health boards’ chronic-care programmes. 
Heather Roy 
: Is her refusal to become involved with pharmacy contracts as she promised last December that she would due to the fact that she approves of individual contracts or because she is determined to avoid all responsibility? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: As that member should well know section 33 of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act precludes the Minister from any involvement. I am aware that three members of this House—Mrs Scott Mrs Kedgley and Mrs Roy—did attend a meeting last night in Auckland where they encouraged pharmacists not to compromise with the district health board and they sought to have ministerial intervention. This is a new policy from the ACT party which now wants political interference in what is a commercial negotiation between the district health board and the pharmacist. 
Hon Roger Sowry 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I wonder how appropriate it is for the Government which was invited to the meeting but did not turn up to now come into the House and try to interpret what did happen at the meeting. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is a political point. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Does the Minister agree that it would be grossly unfair and discriminatory if the three Auckland district health boards were to draw up a separate contract for pharmacists in their area that had a lower dispensing fee than pharmacists receive in all the other district health board areas that have signed the national contract and will she therefore step in to prevent that and ensure that pharmacists in Auckland do not end up getting paid less than the rest of the country; if not why not? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: As the member for West Coast - Tasman I am very well aware that there are different prices around the country for all kinds of services. It is not for us to determine what the appropriate price is. That responsibility has been devolved to the district health board to negotiate with the pharmacists in their particular regions. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: With the six district health boards of Auckland Waitemata Counties-Manukau Northland South Canterbury and Hawke’s Bay still not having settled their contracts is it not time to admit that this process is increasing bureaucracy and fragmentation wasting money time and effort and when will she use some common sense and return to a national contract? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: I am astounded at the new policies from the National Party regarding centralised control of such services. Fifteen district health boards have signed up with the pharmacists. I suggest that that is a very positive move and I am confident that the six others will sign up in the near future. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: I seek leave to table metropolitan Auckland pharmacy expenditure statistics that show that Auckland is expecting 2 percent growth Counties-Manukau 5.5 percent and Waitemata 4 percent. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: I seek leave to table a report from today’s  
Bay of Plenty Times 
 that shows that because of a lack of funding the region’s palliative care service will have to remove all its beds. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that. Is there any objection? There is.