Wrong again, Mr Ryall
Elective surgery rates up.
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Claims by National Party health spokesman Tony Ryall that the number of New Zealanders receiving elective surgery has decreased are exactly the opposite of the truth, Health Minister Pete Hodgson says.
Provisional figures show the number of elective surgical discharges in the year to February 2007 is up by about 6 percent.
Pete Hodgson says the figures show that the $200 million extra money allocated for elective surgical procedures in October last year is having the intended result.
"The myths perpetuated by Mr Ryall and his fellow National Party co-conspirators in the House today are easily shot down by the facts," Pete Hodgson says.
"But myths, not facts, are Mr Ryall's forte."
Not only are elective discharge rates up in general, specific operations which help New Zealanders lead healthier and better lives are showing some quite remarkable increases.
The number of major joint replacement operations increased by 59 per cent nationally in the past three years, from 4910 in 2002/3 to 7814 in 2005/6.
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Claims by National Party health spokesman Tony Ryall that the number of New Zealanders receiving elective surgery has decreased are exactly the opposite of the truth, Health Minister Pete Hodgson says.
Provisional figures show the number of elective surgical discharges in the year to February 2007 is up by about 6 percent.
Pete Hodgson says the figures show that the $200 million extra money allocated for elective surgical procedures in October last year is having the intended result.
"The myths perpetuated by Mr Ryall and his fellow National Party co-conspirators in the House today are easily shot down by the facts," Pete Hodgson says.
"But myths, not facts, are Mr Ryall's forte."
Not only are elective discharge rates up in general, specific operations which help New Zealanders lead healthier and better lives are showing some quite remarkable increases.
The number of major joint replacement operations increased by 59 per cent nationally in the past three years, from 4910 in 2002/3 to 7814 in 2005/6.