Health Cuts Hurt

“Health Cuts Hurt is aligning itself with the advertising round STV elections by kitting our five candidates in numbered and named rugby jerseys for the CDHB elections,” Chairperson of patient lobby group, Health Cuts Hurt, Eleanor Carter said today.

“20% of votes in the last Health Board elections were invalid mostly due to voters ticking boxes rather than numbering the candidates from 1 onwards as STV requires,” said Eleanor Carter.

“Most Cantabrians know Dan Carter’s number is 10,” said Eleanor Carter. “Health Cuts Hurt hopes to use this link to communicate to Cantabrians that it is easy to vote correctly in the Health Board elections. ”

“Health Cuts Hurt candidates will be seen round the province from this Friday in their red and black named and numbered jerseys,” said Eleanor Carter. “Out ‘tight five’ are ranked 1 to 5 and comprise Heather and Eleanor Carter, Tom Dowie, Andrew McKenzie and Gary Watts.”

Excerpt from The Press - 12 Sept 2007

This year, 34 Cantabrians are vying for the seven elected positions on the board – the largest number of candidates for any health board in the country.  

Of the 34 candidates, eight are already on the board, and if the last election is anything to go by, many will be re-elected.

Health Cuts Hurt candidate and current health board member Heather Carter said it stood for better access and affordability, more transparency on board decisions and halting the sale of board assets to balance the books.

The group was formed just before the last health board elections out of a sense of concern over healthcare in Canterbury.

One example of what Health Cuts Hurt would try to achieve was getting more people access to surgery, Carter said.

Because Christchurch Hospital took on many complex cases, people requiring more common procedures such as varicose veins and hernias often missed out, she said.

Health Cuts Hurt would be more focused in its fight for change than other groups.  

Eight candidates are independents, a huge jump from the 2004 election, when only one stood as an independent, with the majority aligned to the Labour Party-oriented Health 2021 group.

This time there are four main political groups represented that all have a slightly different slant on what the taxpaying health public require.

Common issues for many candidates were:

The board needs long-term plans for dealing with the burgeoning elderly population to ensure people do not miss out on critical care.

A shortage of hospital beds and overcrowding in ED need to be addressed and existing solutions enhanced.

The relationship between the board and staff needs improving, with greater support and communication required.

Board members must take greater responsibility for bad outcomes rather than abdicating responsibility to staff and management.

Predicted serious staff shortages need addressing.

Public confidence in the board’s ability to manage the limited budget needs rebuilding.

Board members need to be more accountable to the public.

ELEANOR CARTER,  MEDIA RELEASE WED 12 SEPT 2007

“Health Cuts Hurt urges the Minister of Health to step in and fully fund the Nurses’ $120m settlement including the flow-ons which are estimated at $53m for Canterbury,” Chairperson of patient lobby group, Health Cuts Hurt, Eleanor Carter said today. 
“Health Cuts Hurt has no argument with fair pay and good leave arrangements for nurses and health workers.  However our group believes that the CDHB should be congratulated for raising the flow on effects of the settlement,” said Eleanor Carter. 

“Health Cuts Hurt primary concern is the certainty of further cuts to patient elective surgery and other services such as Christchurch Hospital Emergency Department due to the fact that the settlement is well above current Board funding,” said Eleanor Carter.  “We also are concerned at the apparent lack of Government intervention to deal with the crisis in health sector wage fixing.”

“A comprehensive approach by the Government as funder to the crisis in health wage fixing is urgently needed.  The CDHB has already withdrawn from the Board’s negotiating body (DHBNZ) and called on the Ministry of Health to do its job,” said Eleanor Carter. 

“The schools sector provides a model for the health sector,” said Eleanor Carter.  “Firstly the Ministry of Education does the negotiations for all school boards.  Secondly, funding for schools is split into wages and operations with the operations money sacrosanct from robbery to top up wages.”