King Annette: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeKing Annette: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 10 September 2015. Volume:708;Page:6526. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]2.Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Minister of Health: Why did he say on 29 July that core Crown health expenditure covers “most but not all inflationary pressures” and why does he deny this shortfall is having an impact on patients?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Health): Because the Government is delivering 50000 more elective operations 60000 more surgical appointments 50000 more medical appointments faster cancer care 5500 more doctors and nurses and free GP visits and prescriptions for 750000 children. The big picture is that everyone knows that patients are getting more health services under National’s stewardship. The real question is why the member continues to deny that.Hon Annette King: What was his response to the Rotorua GP who wrote to him this week outlining his horror at the refusal of a specialist appointment for his patient with an enlarged prostate because the specialist could not see the patient within the required time limit something the GP called “a schizophrenic approach”?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I read that letter last night and I think the GP may have a bit of a misunderstanding of how the sector works so I am writing back to him at the moment to discuss how we can best manage that prostate patient’s needs.Hon Annette King: If the Minister has read the GP from Rotorua’s letter did he note that the doctor says that this is not the only case he has had that it is now happening on a regular basis and that he describes the situation as “very serious” and “a scandal”?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Yes I did read those comments I noted them and I am writing back to the GP.Hon Annette King: Do you agree?Mr SPEAKER: Order! No I do not agree. I do not necessarily agree but do not bring me into the debate.Hon Annette King: If there is sufficient funding why has an 85-year-old man who lives alone and finds household chores very difficult had his home help reduced from 1 hour a week to 1 hour a fortnight to save the district health board money?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I am not familiar with that particular case but if the member would like to forward the details I am very happy to look into it. As she has said before it is better to help patients rather than to use them as she continually does.Hon Annette King: Why if everything is as good as he claims has the district health board written to this elderly man saying that demand is outgrowing available funding which means that cuts have to be made and it looks like it is going to be the old people affected first?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I have not seen that letter. I doubt that those are the words that have been used. But do not forget: this member has been publicly very supportive of health decisions made since the election. She supported the replacement of Health Benefits Ltd she supported the commissioner in the Southern District Health Board she supports free GP visits for under-13s she supports more surgery and she has even stated publicly that she thinks that overall we have got a very good health system and that it is working well.Hon Annette King: I seek leave to table a letter from MidCentral District Health Board dated 24 August 2015 saying that demand for these services—Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no need to further describe the document. Leave is sought to table that particular letter from MidCentral District Health Board. Is there any objection? There is none; it can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Hon Annette King: Why should an elderly woman living alone who has multiple disabilities have her home help cut from 1 hour a week to 1 hour a fortnight on the grounds that it will assist people to stay in their own homes longer something the woman has called “an affront to the elderly”?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I am not familiar with that case but what I know is that back in 2006 the Labour Government took 367 people off homecare in Wanganui in one fell swoop and then it did the same straight again in 2007. So I think that might make the member look a little bit—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! The Minister can resume his seat. [Interruption] Order!Hon Chester Borrows: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. There was absolutely no way that we could hear the answer that the Minister gave to that last supplementary question. I would like the House to have the benefit of hearing that answer. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! No I need no further assistance. There was a very significant interjection during that point of order. If I could identify that person I would be asking that person to leave. I do not need any assistance from Grant Robertson. [Interruption] Order! The question was answered right at the start; the Minister then went on with further answering that did incite a fair reaction from the Opposition side. That is not an excuse for the reaction from that side but that is certainly what occurred. Both sides need to settle down with their answering if there are further supplementary questions.Hon Annette King: Why does he keep saying that there is sufficient funding in district health boards when thousands of letters like this one are sent to patients every week saying that district health boards are able to take only limited referrals that are the most urgent?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Nothing has changed for decades. District health boards have had to prioritise the most urgent patients and we are doing more all the time—more operations more appointments and better cancer care. We are actually doing a lot more than the previous Labour Government was doing. The answer to unmet need is actually to do more which we are doing. That is the simple answer.Hon Annette King: I seek leave to table a letter from Hutt Valley District Health Board dated 15 March 2015 pointing out what I said—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Leave is sought to table that particular letter. Is there any objection? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.