Newshub report that "Acting PM Grant Robertson defends NZ's health system after string of deaths amid severe staffing issues". His "defense" is the usual political claptrap - first, he blames "a global shortage in the health workforce". So let's get this straight. Inflation in NZ is Putin's fault and global factors according to the Finance Minister (his RBNZ printing $50 billion & keeping the Cash Rate close to zero whilst inflation was surging apparently has nothing to do with it) and now the state of our health system also has nothing to do with his own domestic policies!?
What is more remarkable is his assertion that his new health reforms will make our present system work more "efficiently". In Robertson's words, "Having those 20 District Health Boards has been really inefficient from a financial perspective. We are putting money in to beef up Health NZ, create the Māori Health Authority, make sure those services are there but the bulk of what we have done has gone to the frontline."
However, his own Treasury contradict him on whether these reforms will indeed make things more efficient. Incredibly, Treasury state how the focus of the reforms is not efficiency at all. Instead the Long Term Fiscal Statement says, "the focus of the reform is .. tackling inequities in the current system which could lead to further increases in expenditure" and how "the underlying drivers of healthcare spending growth remain". I bet you the number of managers in our health system will also not change & probably rise under the "new" system.
Yes, the Finance Minister is just making it up on the challenges facing our health-care system. The Kiwi health-care system is slowly collapsing. The reforms Labour has implemented will do practically nothing to make it more efficient. Even some of those closest to the high command in the Labour Party have admitted that privately to me.
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