Poor hospital standards a result of poor government funding

“Poor hospital standards a result of poor government funding”

“Poor hygiene standards and other shortcomings uncovered by a Ministry of Health audit at Capital & Coast Health District Health Board are examples of many hidden failings in our public hospitals nationwide,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today. Mr Powell was referring to the audit obtained under the Official Information Act by the Dominion Post and reported on today.

“Nationally we are seeing a rundown of public hospital services caused by continuing government underfunding as they face growing service demands (including from government) and increasing costs.”

“Circumstances vary between DHBs but, to one to degree or another, bad hidden stories exist in all of them.”

“The government and health bosses are too focused on spin and image while covering up the shortcomings in their facilities and increasing pressures on staff, who are continually expected to do more. For senior doctors, who have been coping with entrenched staff shortages, the mounting workloads and poor working conditions are becoming untenable and increasingly unsafe.”

“The Government and DHBs need to understand very quickly that attempts to do things on the cheap come at a high price,” concluded Mr Powell
ends

© Scoop Media