Chadwick Steve: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Chadwick Steve: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:609;Page:6684] 
7.  
STEVE CHADWICK (NZ Labour—Rotorua) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: What progress has been made in the development of primary health organisations since the first one was established 1 year ago? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Health) 
: 
 The implementation of primary health organisations has far exceeded expectations. We hoped there would be around 300000 people involved with primary health organisations after 1 year. Today there are 47 primary health organisations covering 1.7 million people. By October every region in New Zealand is expected to have a primary health organisation. 
Steve Chadwick 
: What reports has she received regarding the future of primary health organisations? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I have seen many reports most of them indicating that primary health organisations are here to stay and that the need for low-cost access to primary health-care is widely accepted by New Zealanders. I also note the Auditor-General’s comments that the primary health-care sector could benefit from a period of stability. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: Why at the general practitioners conference on continuing medical education in Taupo last weekend did not one of the hundreds of general practitioners who were at that conference raise a hand when asked to do so if he or she thought that primary health organisations would improve patient care in this country? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I cannot speak for the general practitioners at that conference but I can quote from a statement by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners which stated: “The commitment to an improved funding environment for primary health-care is therefore significant and timely.” I could quote from general practitioners who are working in primary health organisations who say that primary health organisations will provide a new way for health professionals to work together in the community to prevent ill-health and provide early intervention. I could provide many testimonies from general practitioners who like working in the way that they are working and are prepared to speak up. 
Pita Paraone 
: What is the Minister doing to address the inequities in the current system whereby people’s health needs are being addressed differently in terms of cost by virtue of a geographic dint? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Inequities in the provision of primary health-care have existed since we got rid of subsidies for all New Zealanders in the “mother of all Budgets” of 1991 and brought in a community services card. This Government is undertaking to bring back affordable primary health-care to all New Zealanders. We are doing it over time but we are addressing first those people who need primary health-care the most. In the first instance we are most interested to address the inequities that they face in their health status but we will address the health needs of all New Zealanders over time. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Given the objective referred to by the Minister of getting health professionals to work together how many pharmacies are part of primary health organisations and are any such collaborations between pharmacies and primary health organisations likely to be compromised by the Pharmac stat proposal which is likely to cause the closure of many pharmacies around New Zealand; if not why not? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I am pleased to inform the member that pharmacists are increasingly interested in primary health organisations. At 6.30 this evening I am launching the capital primary health organisation which is made up of a number of Maori providers and the Wellington Independent Practice Association and pharmacists are part of that primary health organisation. I have a number of other examples and I have been encouraging pharmacists to look to work within primary health organisations because they have a very important role to play. 
Heather Roy 
: What guarantee can the Minister give that the health outcomes from the Ngati Whatua primary health organisation will be in any way measurable given that $1.5 million of taxpayers’ money was spent last year on the Ngati Whatua O Orakei Health Clinic with her excuse for a lack of outcomes there being that “general health gains are difficult to assess” with an example being spending of $370000 in 2002 for smoking cessation which questioning revealed to be just a pilot scheme? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Firstly the fact that we would want a pilot anti-smoking programme for Maori to be run by a particular Maori health provider should be welcomed by this House but having heard that member’s speech on a bill before this House I understand that she is not the least bit interested in that. Money spent on health outcomes is hard to measure over a 1-year period because one is looking to change behaviour in terms of smoking obesity and exercise and one does not get results overnight. This Government is committed to achieving better long-term health outcomes for New Zealanders and we will see them. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The answer was too long.