Waitemata DHBs turn to receive 100,000 signature

Waitemata DHBs turn to receive 100,000 signature laboratory petition

Doctors, nurses and Diagnostic Medlab staff want Aucklanders to rally with them outside Lincoln Green at 1pm, Wednesday 13th September, on Lincoln Road as they present the petition to the Waitemata DHB.

100,000 people have signed the petition, calling for the Auckland, Counties-Manukau and Waitemata District Health Boards to urgently review their decision to award the contract for community laboratory services to Labtests Auckland Ltd.

DontRiskOurHealth.com founder Matt Crockett says that while the Auckland DHB picket was a great success, he’s hoping the Waitemata DHB accept the petition with an open mind and little more grace than their counterparts in the city.

“The ADHB refused the petition at first, and when they eventually did receive it, ADHB chairman Wayne Brown dismissed it out of hand. His inflammatory comments suggesting that pathologists who chose not to work for the new provider could become taxi drivers are irresponsible and offensive. Taxi drivers and pathologists deserve a public apology.”

The bureaucrats cannot continue to ignore the public, medical experts, professional Colleges and unions who were all left out of the decision making process. Since the announcement these groups have put forward many compelling reasons why there should be a review. If there had been genuine consultation with stakeholders it is highly likely a different decision would have been made.

“The scale of the public and professions response is without precedent in Auckland’s healthcare history,” Crockett says. “The officials we have elected to the health boards have a responsibility to listen to their constituents, and represent our interests on the board. If they choose not to they may find the Auckland public are unforgiving at the next elections.”

Crockett, says the campaigners will persist despite Brown’s rude rebuke. “Auckland’s world class pathology service is worth fighting for and we’ll keep protesting until the DHBs listen. It’s never too late to reverse a bad decision.”

ENDS

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