News
Media Satements
18 May 2008
Senior Doctors welcome Health Minister's announcement of increased funding for elective services
“Senior doctors welcome Health Minister David Cunliffe’s announcement of increased funding for elective services as a very welcome positive initiative,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.
“Patients who are able to access our public hospitals overwhelmingly receive high quality care. But too many patients don’t get access in the first place. Mr Cunliffe’s announcement will go a long way to improving patient access to the services they deserve. We must continue to maintain and enhance the capacity of public hospitals to provide the patient services that they do so well.”
“The new initiative to provide extra funding so that patients while in primary care to receive access to hospital specialist assistance is another excellent move. The earlier the intervention for patients, the better it is for both patient care and cost effectiveness. This early intervention should mean that some of them might not even have to be treated in a hospital.”
“It is good to see the Health Minister recognising that public hospitals are the most effective and efficient means of treating patients who can’t be treated in primary care,” concluded Mr Powell.
Ian Powell
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
