February 08, 2024
Staff gaps drive waiting list blow out
A medical union says the Government can do more to relieve stress in the health system and lower wait times.
Sarah Dalton, the executive directior of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Toi Mata Hauora, says severe understaffing meant doctors are unable to keep up with growing demand.
Te Whatu Ora data shows more than 60,000 people are waiting more than four months for their first specialist appointment, with a similar lag to any consequent surgery.
“It’s really tough on hospital staff who are trying to juggle an impossible workload and obviously it’s really terrible for patients and their whanau who are waiting for care who perhaps could be working but aren’t able to and so that can have far reaching economic consequences for people as well as in terms of their health and well being, managing chronic pain and that kind of thing,” Ms Dalton says.
Politicians need to agree need on a fundamental level of health care rather than make ping pong decisions such as scrapping the Maori Health Authority.