Hon Tony Ryall National Party Health Spokesman

3 May 2006

Clark must come clean on PlunketLine

The Prime Minister must come clean on the fact that her Government prohibited Plunket from answering more calls, says National's Health spokesman, Tony Ryall.

Plunket national president Kaye Crowther has said that Plunket was forced to subcontract under McKesson to obtain Health Ministry funding for PlunketLine.

The Ministry set PlunketLine's funding contract with McKesson at a minimum of 58,000 calls a year and a maximum of 70,000 calls a year.

"Mrs Crowther has said that the contract expressly prohibited PlunketLine from answering more calls," says Mr Ryall.

"PlunketLine fulfilled its contractual obligations - in fact it consistently over-delivered - but was prevented from saying so by a gagging clause in it's contract.

"But the Government went on to use this against the organisation, saying that it was not performing well enough.

"That same contract prevents PlunketLine from promoting itself!

"Helen Clark must come forward and admit that her Government set PlunketLine up to fail," says Mr Ryall.

ENDS

© Scoop Media