This clown government hasn’t even budgeted its huge healthcare reform. Where are they going to find the money to transport patients and family support out of town and home again and supply accommodation while they are away?
Travel and accommodation costs will be substantial and will use money better spent on the top four procedures – hips, knees, hands and cataracts. Instead of increasing the budget for medical procedures and shortening waiting lists, money will be spent shuttling patients, and their family support, between hospitals and home again.
Clown houses will be required close to major hospitals, akin to the Ronald McDonald houses that house the families of sick children.
The Minister of Health Andrew Little claimed on Q&A that about one and a half billion dollars is exchanged between DHBs to move patients around “and of course when they travel, accommodation arrangements are in place.”
No, Minister Little, you made that up. Accommodation is only provided for the patient, not their family support. When asked to explain the travel arrangements currently in place, Little admitted he didn’t actually know, because he hasn’t read his own government’s website.
“If you, or a family member, need to travel long distances – or frequently – to see a specialist, then you may be eligible for help with expenses under the National Travel Assistance Scheme. These expenses may include travel, accommodation and support person costs.”
Health Department Website
Travel and accommodation arrangements are not automatic for Hawkes Bay and Wanganui patients receiving treatment at Wellington Hospital. Applicants can apply for financial assistance toward their travel and accommodation costs, but my personal experience is that patient families are not always made aware of the opportunity to apply for funding.
“There is travel at the moment, but it’s inconsistent. Look for example someone at Hawkes Bay might have to travel to Wellington for some cancer care. You know I’ve had the horror stories of some people having their transport funded one way but not back to home or um.. out of Wanganui travelling down to Wellington and then being told ‘you make your own way back’ so you can actually get some consistency of policies and approaches and standards to allow that to happen.”
TVNZ Q&A
A family member of mine who lives in Hawkes Bay was taken by ambulance to Wellington Hospital following a life-threatening cardiac arrest. At that time Hawkes Bay Hospital did not have an in house cardiologist, and this may still be the case. Her husband followed by car, found accommodation in Wellington and drove his wife home about 10 days later. He was so grateful she survived. Finances were the last thing on his mind, but anyone in a less fortunate financial position might incur financial stress on top of a life-threatening scenario. Had my family been offered financial support at the time they may have taken it, but no offer was made. In fact, they were categorically told they would have to find their own way home before leaving Hawkes Bay.
Local hospitals exist for good reason. Before embarking on this mad, un-costed scheme involved in shuttling patients up and down the country and setting up clown houses, let’s see a cost-benefit analysis on centralised healthcare, as opposed to the cost/benefit of beefing up and tinkering with the existing model.
Independent research and a report by independent health experts (hopefully with no political alignment to the government) would be a good start before diving headfirst into the shallow pool of knowledge demonstrated by both the Minister of Health Andrew Little and the Associate Minister of Health, Peeni Henare.
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