Boards react well to reform ideas-Caygill

Press, 10 September 1988, Page 8

Boards react well to reform ideas-Caygill

PA

Wellington

Hospital and area health boards are responding positively to the reforms suggested by Judge Silvia Cartwright, says the Minister of Health, Mr Caygill.

Speaking yesterday after the launch of a programme designed to improve the training and standards of general practitioners, Mr Caygill said hospital and area health boards had reported back to him that morning on Judge Cartwright’s report recommendations.

Released on August 5, Judge Cartwright’s report on the treatment of cervical cancer at National Women’s Hospital strongly criticised Dr Herbert Green, a former associate professor of the Postgraduate School of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the hospital. Judge Cartwright said a research programme of Dr Green’s lacked important ethical and scientific criteria required in such projects. She recommended the appointment of a patient advocate at National Women’s Hospital and the appointment of a health commissioner to the Human Rights Commission office to help negotiate on patients’ complaints. Judge Cartwright also said hospital and area health boards should take

greater responsibility for the welfare of patients. The University of Auckland should also place greater emphasis on ethical principles and communication skills in training for a medical degree. Mr Caygill said the boards had been receptive to the suggestions and were tackling the details of instituting the changes.

“I'm satisfied that they’re responding positively. I’m satisfied with the attitude I saw. Nobody was looking for excuses as to why they shouldn’t do this.”

Mr Caygill said the meeting was still working through a series of practical issues.

“Who should appoint a patient advocate? Who pays? Are they full-time or part-time? Do they report to the Minister? Do they report to the board ... those kinds of things.”

The meeting had discussed reviewing the protocols for treatment and systems for monitoring medical ethics as well as the funding of the proposed patient advocates. Mr Caygill said a national screening programme for cervical can-

cer was the only recommendation likely to cost significant sums of money.

“I certainly expect a start to be made on changes to treatment pror tocols and ethical committees this year,” he said. “I think one area that will take longer is the implementation of a screening programme. I’d like to see a start on that during the course of next year.”

Asked about recent controversies over medical treatment involving deaths at hospitals, Mr Caygill said he had made the point at the meeting that there had been a series of problems involving a number of boards.

“I’m not satisfied that the public feels that every hospital board treats patient complaints fairly and properly,” he said.

The time it had taken to deal with problems at Ashburton, Whakatane and Wanganui "isn’t much better than the length of time it took to finally stop a research programme that the judge found should never have started.”