Professor calls for new public health system
PA Dunedin The structure of the public health system needed rebuilding, not just patching in stop-gap fashion, said a Dunedin professor of orthopaedics yesterday. The director of orthopaedic services for Otago Hospital Board, Professor Keith Jeffery, said that the system faced immense problems and required a carefully considered strategy for the future. “My feeling is we are slipping by default, and this is why the private hospital and private insurance is becoming the second health service of New Zealand,” he said.
Professor Jeffery said that the health service was at a crossroads — either the hospital service proved for in the last decade should
be maintained, or a revamped service designed for the acutely ill only be allowed to develop. “I have worked full-time in hospitals for 20 years now and I really am gravely concerned. The hospitals are just not coping, and I believe the New Zealand health system is in severe straits.”
Professor Jeffery said that no response had been made to his call late last year for a commission of inquiry into the problemriddled public health system.
“The problems are immense and on a broad scale, and require carefully thought out strategy ... and it has to be right now.” Professor Jeffery said his concern was that the Minister of Health, Dr Bassett,
would say X-millions of dollars were to be poured into the hospital system. “Without any careful plan or strategy, I feel that would be disastrous. You can spend millions, of dollars, easily, on just a few items of equipment or on an area of staffing which may not be appropriate.”
An inquiry would need to consider all aspects of the service.
An inquiry might decide that the involvement of the private sector in health care should be much greater, that people with varicose veins or bunions should be taking out insurance and turning to private care.
If that were the case: “we could then go forward and plan according to this.”
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Press, 11 January 1986, Page 7
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332Professor calls for new public health system Press, 11 January 1986, Page 7
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