Clark’s threats ‘homicidal’ to small boards

Press, 11 April 1989, Page 7

Clark’s threats ‘homicidal’ to small boards

By

SARAH SANDS

Medical services throughout New Zealand will suffer if the Minister of Health, Ms Clark, continues to make “homicidal threats” to small hospital boards, said the Opposition spokesman on health, Mr Don McKinnon, yesterday.

Mr McKinnon was commenting on a series of meetings last week where he claimed small hospital boards were told by the Minister to amalgamate with larger boards by April 21. “This bludgeoning action, driven by the Local Government Commission’s desire to have local boundaries where the commission wants them rather than the people, will spell the end of some very efficient boards and hospital services in many towns throughout New Zealand,” said Mr McKinnon.

“There are no guarantees that existing medical services will even remain, let alone operate at a minimal level. Many hospitals will be closed by the bigger boards.”

Small communities had been trampled already by the Government and the Minister of Health was now kicking them while

they were down, he said. “Small communities are being crushed by this Wellington-driven juggernaut. The National Opposition and these communities will act to prevent this programme being legislated into existence,” said Mr McKinnon. However, the chairman of one of 14 boards to meet the Minister last

week, Mr Michael Mayman, of the South Canterbury Hospital Board, said last evening that Mr McKinnon’s claim was not correct.

The Minister had told the boards it was her intention to create area health boards along the boundaries of the territorial authorities, said Mr Mayman. But Ms Clark had given the smaller boards, including South Canterbury, until April 21 to make submissions to persuade her of their viability as an independent health board, he said.

“The onus is now on South Canterbury to prove to her that we would be viable,” said Mr Mayman. "Members of the delegation (to the Minister) will be recommending to the board that we put forward submissions persuading her that we could come up with a scheme to overcome finance problems.”