23 Comments

Health care in Aotearoa is afflicted with it's own version of insidious, undiagnosed, stage 4 cancer. The problem shows up when it's too late. Deaths may be media-noted at hospital level (non)care. But how much more is missed because primary care wasn't available via a visit to the local GP because the wait time was 4 weeks? How do we really count the chronicly unwell, those with illnesses that become chronic because they can't afford a prescription, those with incurable diseases because of the wait for a scan. The PR campaign and knife-throwing ignorance by the PM is equivalent to the charlatans who claim it's all just a matter of mindset and it's our own fault for becoming ill. But they refuse to take responsibility themselves. The wound in our healthcare system has became septic because they CHOSE to put the money elsewhere. They CHOSE to give that money away and then cried poor, blamed others. They CHOSE wealth over health. The commissioner is not the antibiotic they believe it to be - we have reached sepsis level of infection in the system (and other poorly-drawn analogies!)

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I couldn't agree with you more Lynette! I only cover the most basic, obvious matters here because the government's rhetoric and actions are so superficial, and they only seem to respond to media level engagement/attention. But the reality is exactly as you say, and this is a long standing issue that needs to be addressed and reviewed.

However, to me it's the hypocrisy and the deception here that really grinds. There is no ingenuity, innovation, creativity, competency or even much intelligence from what I'm seeing from this group called government, and it should enrage every Kiwi that Kiwis are dying because of it. Ignoring and worsening matters while pretending to care and fix is abhorrent.

Your comments are both sanguine and excellent. Thank you for making them!

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I know there are no perfect solutions, and Labour got a lot of grief, but I found myself constantly yelling at the radio at the expectations of the time frames. At least they acknowledged a significant and all-of-body approach had to be made. But trying to corral so many moving parts, disparities and under-resourcing was never going to be achieved in a short time-frame, and you don't know what you don't know until it exposes itself. It is never a good time, but it takes courage.

We know this coalition is extremely uncomfortable with consequences and data, and the shedding of so many in our public service will make it even more opaque.

I am so appreciative of your ability and willingness to stay the course and shine a fucking big spotlight through the defences they rely on. Tearing the walls of bullshit down one brick (or is that prick?) at a time!

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When Labour won in the UK, I was happy that the Tories finally got out after they effectively bankrupted cities around the UK, crashed their health system, and stoked culture wars and division, but I also knew that the seeds of how a Tory government like that could stay in power for over a decade were still there.

And lo' and behold, I've seen right wing attack channels against the UK Labour Party already that are wholly unfair and inflammatory.

Yes, real change takes a lot of time - and in NZ especially around Maori poverty, crime and trauma, around the health system, productivity levels etc.

It would require bipartisan politics to focus on fixing things for all Kiwis...but it's different and I believe corporate, and dark money, needs to be removed, as a first step at least.

But it's not easy. Especially with our systems of government, and perhaps to a degree, human nature at times.

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Yup. Human 'nature' can be pretty rancid. I think Covid days were a fascinating time, where there was a period, albeit brief, where what could be possible flashed up on the screen like some kind of subliminal advertising in a movie. The external, common threat of covid in the early days and the media conferences that everyone tuned into, because they had the time - bypassed the filter of the media. People actually saw, and rejected, the slants and angles and gotcha attempts they had been fed previously in the diet of headlines in busy lives. But it was short-lived and we're back to the take-away menu.

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If I was thinking cynically, I think the Nats are not that bothered about people without private healthcare because in their narrow, corporate view, they will not vote for them.

Also, by turning a blind eye to the damage to people they think of ‘bottom feeders’, they won’t have to fund them in the long run because people will die earlier than they should.

On a personal note, I am going through a pretty severely gut problem at present. My doctor is outstanding. I need a treatment in hospital. The waiting time is 4 to 5 MONTHS. Just down the road is a newly opened very well funded private clinic. The wait time is 3 to 4 WEEKS. The consultants are the same people at the public hospital and this clinic. The difference is I need to raid my now reducing savings to the tune of $3500. And what if they find something nasty? Well, I will just have to wait! Not that Luxon , Reti and the rest give a fig as I would not vote for them under any circumstances!

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I'm sorry to hear about the gut issue. Have you tried fermented foods too? Is there stress? Fibre? No doubt your doctor is advising, and glad to hear you have a good doctor - that's so valuable. Take out the stress though - that's important, I feel.

As to your cynicism, it's not cynicism, not anymore. It's the new political strategy for some...

Please take care Tony - I really hope it resolves well very soon. My best wishes,

Tui

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Thanks so much. I’ve received lots of good advice from the professionals and am behaving myself! The irony is my blood pressure is great, diabetes under control & I’m loosing excess weight so I’m optimistic about the future.

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Subsequent to my comments, I deteriorated to the point where I was rushed into ED and then major surgery. Now home a week later and starting the recovery. The staff and treatment are outstanding and I am so very grateful to be pain free for the first time this year!

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❤️

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FFS, that sounds like it was a completely preventable death, and I feel really sorry for Ms Blair and her family to have lost their mother in this way. I hope that case goes to HDC, oh that's right they have had a funding cut too. I don't think you can "outsource" clinical supervision of your junior doctors under their employment agreement, let alone the medicolegal issues for that doctor who possibly is outside their scope of practice if they were not skilled enough in dealing with that presentation ( without knowing any specifics). I am sure Deborah Powell at NZ RDA would love to hear more about this...

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Excellent points, Dave, and yes, that's what makes it so sad. All this really .. does affect people in very harsh ways. Thank you for the pointers.

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just found that article through and that incident is from 10 years ago, so it cant really be point on the current shit show.

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OK I found it - https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/07/29/pm-says-no-doctor-for-dargaville-hospital-cardiac-arrest-challenging/

Thank you Dave - I really appreciate that and have made the correction.

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You're right - I remembered what the doctor told me and assumed this was the same case. Thank you Dave - I will now write my correction.

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Were the current regime's slogans subject to the Fair Trading Act it would be done for false advertising. The triennial election comes around too late to redress the irreversible anti social decisions now being implemented. I am confident Health Insurance will become essential given the malaise you describe today

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I was reflecting today, Winston, on how if the shoe was on the other foot, we would see the likes of Seymour, Willis, Luxon, Reti and their pressure groups chain themselves with signs and blastover social media, saying "Labour / Greens kill Kiwis."

And I agree, it's very sad when our own "leaders" are not subject to any laws or requirements to be truthful.

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Have the Tories made a tactical error?

Maybe the rape and pillage of the health industry, which will impact every citizen, will wake up Tory voters to the fact that their incompetent inhumae corporate lackeys are going down the road we don't want to travel down

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They tried their best to cover it, and die hard followers may still believe the myth that "they are just fixing the mess left by the last government".

That all said, yes, it seems shortsighted to fund landlord tax cuts over something that affects every single Kiwi.

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Excellent piece, will forward on. Thanks

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Thank you - please note I made a correction. Cheers.

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Excellent summation. Wouldn’t it be nice if politicians just for once, walked their talk. Surely, a country like New Zealand puts its people and their health first and foremost. Luxon has failed here, big time. He has zero excuses, none nada. 😢

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