DHB Elected Board Members Should Speak Out

8.9.06

DHB Elected Board Members Should Speak Out Or Resign

If the elected members of DHB boards are ever going to do something positive for their communities the near-unanimous protest by Christchurch surgeons over Canterbury's waiting list cuts should spur them to publicly protest over patients recently dumped by their local corporate offices, according to Democrats for Social Credit health spokesman David Tranter.

The clear message from the Canterbury surgeons and G.P.s that many people desperately in need of treatment are included amongst those dumped from Canterbury's waiting lists demonstrates the devious way in which bureaucrats and politicians have manipulated the term "elective" surgery so as to include many who require urgent treatment.

The expressed concerns of G.P.s throughout the country tell us that similar cases will undoubtedly be amongst the victims of all DHB patient dumping agendas.

However, since most DHB managements have not been publicly put on the spot by their surgical staff patients have no-one to support them but their elected representatives who, if they chose to act, outnumber governments' tame board appointees by seven to four, Mr. Tranter said. They should use that strength to send clear messages to government that they will not remain silent while the bureaucrats implement the Health Ministry's now totally discredited patient dumping agenda.

Canterbury's surgeons and G.P.s have given a lead and New Zealand G.P.s have spoken out. If each area's seven elected board members will not follow up on those humanitarian appeals they should immediately resign since by not acting they will have effectively declared their alignment with political and corporate agendas against the very people who put them into office, Mr. Tranter said.
ENDS

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