Scott Lynda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Scott Lynda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 19 June 2003. Volume:609;Page:6417. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
2.  
Dr LYNDA SCOTT (NZ National—Kaikoura) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: What safeguards are in place to ensure continuity of service during the amalgamation of Green Lane National Women’s Starship Children’s and Auckland Hospital on to one site in Grafton Road and what guarantees can she give that no one will be adversely affected by the move? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Health) 
: 
 I requested the previous Government’s Cabinet papers that approved the merger of the four hospitals on to the Grafton site in Auckland to see what safeguards the then Government had guaranteed. Unfortunately there were none. However I am advised by the Auckland District Health Board that a full transition programme was subsequently developed that put clinical safety as its highest priority. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: Why was Kathryn Winiata mother of 4-year-old MacLean Winiata a little boy who needs open-heart surgery and who was booked for surgery on 19 May this year told that he had been reprioritised until after Green Lane Hospital moved to the Auckland site and would not even be considered for surgery until after February 2004 and how many other children are having their lives put at risk by this reprioritisation? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I will not warn the Hon Dr Nick Smith again. He interjected twice during that question. He should not interject at all. 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: If the member wishes to raise an individual case I suggest that she does it in the appropriate manner. To help patients is always better than using them. However I have been advised by the Auckland District Health Board that cardiac surgery will slow because of the shift. That was envisaged. Obviously with a shift of this sort a major change is taking place. However the board intends to try to do more surgery prior to the shift to make up for the delays. The board is working very hard on that. 
Steve Chadwick 
: What benefits will there be for children who are requiring cardiac surgery when Green Lane Hospital is merged with Starship Children’s Hospital? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: There will be considerable benefits to children requiring cardiac surgery because the shift from Green Lane Hospital to Starship Children’s Hospital means there will be six theatres instead of four and the sessions for cardiac surgery will increase from eight to nine. I presume that is one of the benefits that was thought about when it was decided to merge the four hospitals on to one site. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: As there is no other paediatric cardiac surgery availability in New Zealand will she agree to send children to Australia for treatment if it shown that their lives and their growth and development are at risk because of this need to reprioritise and delay surgery due to the Green Lane Hospital move to the Auckland site? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: A decision for a child—or an adult for that matter—to have surgery is a decision for the clinicians. If they decided they needed to do a child urgently they would do him or her. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Noticing the objection that the Minister has taken to our member raising an individual case I seek the leave of the House to table 19 cases that that member raised when she was Opposition spokesperson on health. 
Documents not tabled. 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I did not take objection; I said to raise it in the appropriate manner with me. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: I seek leave to table the letter from Kathryn Winiata to Wayne Brown outlining her significant concerns about the health of her son caused by these delays. 
Document laid on the Table of the House.