$11 billion and things are getting worse

The Herald reports:

Multiple problems in the health sector are worsening while the Government’s flagship reforms grind into gear, sector leaders say.

The $11 billion overhaul of the district health boards is a long-term project, but a succession of leaders told the Herald they were worried that key measures were deteriorating and not enough urgency was being shown to address them. …

Many of the key metrics in the health system continue to worsen, including immunisation rates, waiting times, and stays in emergency departments.

Fewer kids are being vaccinated, people are waiting longer for needed surgeries and waiting times in emergency departments have blown out.

Recruitment drives had led to about 32 more nurses, she said, but that was dwarfed by an estimated 4000 vacancies across the country.

It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.

Anecdotally we are hearing that there is about a 30 per cent reduction in planned care surgery across a number of different surgical specialties.”

So fewer operations also.

Under National, immunisation rates soared, ED waiting times fell and the number of elective procedures massively increased. Labour has managed the opposite.