“The government’s proposed changes to employment law threaten the stability of our public hospitals and, as a result, patient care,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today

“The government’s voluntary bonding scheme for health professionals has much merit but it is delusional if it believes that it will help solve New Zealand’s senior hospital doctor shortages crisis,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.

“John Judge, Chair of the ACC, has missed the plot with his statement that public hospitals and doctors should be financially penalised when patients have treatment injuries,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.

“The loss of public hospital specialists to Australia is unsustainable,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of  ASMS.

“Our investigations have revealed that around half of the senior registrars in their last year of specialist training go overseas, mainly to Australia, to take up their first specialist appointment."

“Senior doctors commend the appointments announced by the Minister of Health to the interim board of the new Health Quality and Safety Commission,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the ASMS.

“This new important commission will have a critical role in actively promoting a culture and practice of greater quality and safety in the health system."

“The Budget’s health funding is expected to lead to cuts in health services,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.

“Funding for district health boards is short by at least $100 million of what is needed to maintain existing services at their existing level, let alone improving services.”

“The government should listen to the warnings over the level of health funding in the Budget,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.

“In last year’s budget the government increased funding to DHBs by around $750 million. In this year’s budget the rate of increase is expected to be dramatically slashed by around half this amount. There is a serious risk that using such a blunt fiscal instrument will force DHBs to adopt ‘shock therapy’ measures with the victims being patients.”

“Nurses have raised legitimate concerns about a physician assistant pilot based on using American health workers at Counties Manukau District Health Board,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today. Mr Powell was responding to the concerns raised by the Nurses Organisation reported in the Sunday Star Times today.

“Senior doctors employed by the Southland District Health Board at Lakes District Hospital in Queenstown feel betrayed by the proposed privatisation of the public hospital,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.

“The decision of the South Canterbury District Health Board to terminate its contract with its Primary Health Organisation and take over the functions itself is a positive initiative,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.

“Health Minister Tony Ryall’s decision to approve the merger of the Otago and Southland district health boards is premature and unwise,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.

“International data highlights the appalling shortages of hospital specialists in New Zealand,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.

“The Southland DHB needs to take time out for a cup of tea in order to seriously consider issues raised in the increasing opposition from Southland senior doctors and nurses over the proposed merger with Otago DHB,” . . .

“The reported loss of cancer specialists highlights the wider senior doctor workforce crisis in New Zealand public hospitals,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.

JOINT AGREEMENT BETWEEN ASMS AND IPAC

“The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists and the Independent Practitioners Association Council have reached an historic agreement to work together to promote clinical leadership and governance in the New Zealand health system,” said Dr Jeff Brown, President of the ASMS and Dr Bev O’Keefe, Executive Chair of IPAC, today.