King Annette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeKing Annette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 10 April 2014. Volume:697;Page:17169. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]5.Hon ANNETTE KING (Labour—Rongotai)to the Minister of Health: What recent reports has he seen on the funding of hospitals in New Zealand ?Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health):I have seen reports that show that despite tight financial times this Government has increased funding for health by an average of $500 million a year and that health will again be the top priority for more investment in the upcoming Budget. I have also seen a report that showed that despite nearly doubling the health budget more people thought the health system had got worse. The report noted: “It is inconceivable that a Government could spend so much money and make the system worse.” Of course this report was from the Dominion Post in 2007 and referred to the previous Labour Government.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Who was the Minister?Hon Annette King: Not me. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! If some members want to get away early to clean up for the reception tonight they may well get the chance.Hon Annette King: Oh no Mr Speaker I am enjoying it. Will he dismiss the concerns of the representative of senior doctors in our hospitals who said last week that staff shortages and underfunding are putting hospitals under intense pressure and we now have a health system that is prone to “erratic decision-making heavy-handed management and gaga behaviour”; if so why?Hon TONY RYALL: Of course I would completely reject that assessment from the union. That union increasingly looks like a branch of the Labour Party and that statement certainly confirms it.Hon Annette King: With district health boards like Waikato having 61 nursing vacancies and 18 senior doctor vacancies and the Southern District Health Board having 58 nursing vacancies and 12 senior doctor vacancies leading to staffing shortages and pressure on existing staff should staff publicly state their concern and distress over unsafe working conditions and stressful staff levels or are they just being union activists?Hon TONY RYALL: I think it is perfectly legitimate for staff to use the appropriate processes if they have any concern in respect of patient safety. What I would have to say is that if it is correct that there are 61 nurse vacancies in the Waikato it would be nice if the member also said that there are actually 2000 nurses employed by the Waikato District Health Board and that 61 certainly sounds more like 3 percent which is nowhere near the big shock horror story that that member would like to portray.Hon Annette King: Is he aware that there has been in increase of 18 percent in older New Zealanders turning up to emergency departments over the last 4 years and that this is now leading to huge staff pressure staff burnout low staff morale and concern at patient safety; if so is this just union members talking?Hon TONY RYALL: Quite the opposite. I think the health service is providing better care for older people when they present to the emergency department. It is faster and better than it has ever been and quite different from when that member was a Minister in a Government where old people languished on trolleys in corridors under bright fluorescent lights for days on end.Hon Annette King: Is he aware that some district health boards are now implementing service reductions driven by budgetary constraints—particularly in home care—so they can meet the pressure in hospitals for example in the Capital and Coast District Health Board where Official Information Act information shows that on average there has been a 37 percent reduction of service to people requiring home care over the last 3 years?Hon TONY RYALL: More money than ever is being invested in home-care services right across New Zealand. The Government has more money put in there. I think last year’s Budget put more money into home-care services as well. There has been a very significant investment.Hon Annette King: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am sure you heard my question—Mr SPEAKER: I did hear your question.Hon Annette King: —and it was not about—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I heard the question. I now have to decide. The question effectively was: “Is he aware of increasing pressure on home care because of financial pressure?”. The Minister answered that by saying there was more money being debated. The question has been addressed. If the member has a further supplementary we will listen to it.Hon Annette King: No but I’d like one.Mr SPEAKER: I am sure the member would.