“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.”

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.”

“Our group acknowledges there is a balance required between the rights of patients and those of health workers such as Doctors, but given the potential impact of a full strike of Senior Doctors on patients we urge the Doctors to take a lead and at least seriously consider the arbitration option,” said Eleanor Carter.

“Canterbury people are still trying to deal with the very difficult situation that has emerged recently with our Christchurch Hospital Emergency Department which we believe arose from understaffing and overcrowding,” said Eleanor Carter. “However delivering threats of strikes at this time of analysis and grief risks the loss of support for Senior Doctors in the Canterbury community.”

“Health Cuts Hurt primary concern in this matter is further cuts to patient elective surgery and other services due to lockouts and strikes,” said Eleanor Carter. “We also are concerned at the apparent lack of Government intervention to settle the dispute.”

“Final offer arbitration as suggested by the Boards is not the only form of arbitration,” said Eleanor Carter. “The form used by the teachers in 2002 allowed the independent panel to come up with a compromise solution. It may be that such an approach would work here. We urge Doctors to at least try such an approach.”

Following discussions with key participants for the 7 July Summit, our group met last night and decided to postpone the summit,” Chairperson of patient lobby group, Health Cuts Hurt, Eleanor Carter said today.   “The summit was to involve DHBs, Unions in DHBs, Health Sector groups and the Health Minister and Spokespersons of political parties and was to be an attempt to find solutions to the ongoing and acrimonious industrial problems in our hospitals.”

“The concerns leading to the call for the summit were cuts to patient elective surgery and other services due to the lockouts and strikes and in particular the apparent lack of Government intervention to settle the disputes,” said Eleanor Carter. 

“We have been given assurances that tripartite talks between the Minister of Health, DHBNZ and CTU on health issues are dealing with exactly these issues and that there is a shared aim to find processes that will eventually minimize disruption to patients.  The next meeting of the group we understand is next Monday 9th July and our group has decided to give that process the chance to resolve matters in the first instance.  Hence the postponement of the summit.”
 
“Health Cuts Hurt will take up the opportunity of engagement offered to us by the CTU President and will be writing to him with the proposals to improve matters that have come forward in the last four weeks.  Our group acknowledges there is a difficult balance required here between the rights of patients and those of health workers but will continue to advocate strongly for patients.  If the process above fails to deliver results, then our group will consider reinstituting the summit approach at our August 13 meeting.

Eleanor Carter Spokesperson Health Cuts Hurt Inc

“Health Cuts Hurt is looking for the support of Cantabrians in organising its summit for DHB Health representatives on 7 July 2007,” Chairperson of Health Cuts Hurt, Eleanor Carter said today.
 
She was commenting on the invitations sent to all DHBs, all Unions in DHBs, Health Sector groups and Health Minister and Spokespersons of political parties to a summit to try to find solutions to the ongoing and acrimonious industrial problems in our hospitals.
 
 “As we are all aware, there are numerous Collective Agreement negotiations under way - including many about to commence industrial action.  Health patients and advocates want to see an end to the delays to surgery electives arising from the industrial action by both the employer and employees,” said Eleanor Carter.  

“The only real way to address the health strike issue however is to agree on the reasons behind the strikes and lockouts and for the Government and participants to step up and deal with them.”

“Health Cuts Hurt has set up a meeting on Monday 7th August to discuss how to stop the continuing cuts to waiting lists that are causing grief to countless Cantabrians,” the Chairperson of Health Cuts Hurt, Eleanor Carter said today.

She made her comments on the day that another 5,300 Cantabrians are cut from the waiting list for elective surgery. During the week the Board also said that it could not guarantee that more people waiting for surgery would not be cut given the big flu epidemic hitting Canterbury and causing gridlock in the hospitals.

“Monday’s meeting will look at ways to address the ongoing underfunding of the Canterbury District Health Board, which lies behind the cuts,” said Eleanor Carter. “The Board openly admits that Canterbury people have to be sicker now to get an operation than previously - and sicker than other New Zealanders.”

“Last week, Health Cuts Hurt called on the Christchurch Mayor and local Labour MPs to state categorically that they will fight for fair funding for the CDHB to correct the Ministry of Health’s flawed population based funding model,” said Eleanor Carter. “Our political leaders need to put their hands up and take ownership of this matter, not sit back and wash their hands of the cuts. The blood of Canterbury people is literally on their hands.”

“The meeting to discuss a response to the cuts will be at 5.30 at the TUC 199 Armagh St,” said Eleanor Carter.

Eleanor Carter, Spokesperson Health Cuts Hurt Inc

 ”Health Cuts Hurt says that if the Government and Christchurch City Council have a spare $20m for Jade Stadium to be upgraded for the 2011 World Rugby Cup, they should use it to properly fund the Canterbury District Health Board,” Chairperson of Health Cuts Hurt, Eleanor Carter said today.

She was commenting on Christchurch’s Mayor Garry Moore’s support for the $60m plan to upgrade Jade Stadium, while 5,300 Cantabrians are waiting anxiously to see if they have been cut off the waiting list for elective surgery.

“The Mayor has been silent on the cuts of a further 5,300 Cantabrians off waiting lists and the long term cuts to funding in the CDHB,” said Eleanor Carter. “In addition, many Kiwis were appalled at the Labour Government putting in $30m to the America’s Cup when many of the associated yachties feature on the rich list and there were so many other deserving uses of that money.”

“Health Cuts Hurt calls on the Christchurch Mayor and local Labour MPs to state categorically that they will fight for fair funding for the CDHB to correct the Ministry of Health’s flawed population based funding model,” said Eleanor Carter.

“Our group is not opposed to rugby. Canterbury is known as the rugby capital of the world with the Crusaders,” said Eleanor Carter. “But currently Canterbury people have to be sicker than in the rest of New Zealand to get an operation. Let’s have a crusade to return it to being the health capital of the country.”

Eleanor Carter, Spokesperson Health Cuts Hurt Inc

“Health Cuts Hurt believes most Kiwis will be amazed that the Ministry of Health is claiming evidence that Boards are managing well given the latest financial deficit figures,” Chairperson of Health Cuts Hurt, Eleanor Carter said today.

She was commenting on a statement from the MOH’s John Hazeldine that the year to date combined results (third quarter) for the year to June 2006 show that DHBs actual deficits are better than planned by $20.5 million.

“Against a criteria of a well funded health system that everyone can access regardless of their ability to pay, even the Minister of Health is only giving it 5.5 out of 10,” said Eleanor Carter. “The inability to treat the number of people on waiting lists is becoming a national disgrace.”

“The Ministry of Health wishes its population based funding model would satisfy Kiwis that they are being treated fairly health-wise and wishes that if the local Board could only keep within its bulk funded spending limits then all would be well,” said Eleanor Carter. “But the MOH model is unfair and arbitrary and is currently delivering cuts to some regions like Canterbury where $10 to $15m has to be chopped form current services to meet the Ministry’s budget.”

Eleanor Carter said that it is the health deficits of New Zealanders that should be focussed on, not the financial ones. “Boards are openly admitting that people have to be sicker now to get an operation that previously. That is the real health deficit that the Minister needs to address. And yes, it will require more funding.”

Eleanor Carter, Spokesperson Health Cuts Hurt Inc