Health Coalition to fight cuts

Press, 28 June 1989, Page 3

Health Coalition to fight cuts

By

SARAH SANDS

A Canterbury health consumer group has called on the Government to spend money on health instead of frigates. The Canterbury Health Coalition is angry that the Canterbury Area Health Board is being forced to cut health services to save money.

The group has called a public meeting to discusss ways of opposing the cuts without leaving the board in a position where it is sacked by the Gov-

ernment for not staying within budget. About $3O million has to be cut from the board’s spending this year — an amount equal to the annual running costs of Sunnyside Hospital.

The board has said the cuts have been forced by the Government not paying the 2.5 per cent increase in GST or the increases in salaries and wages and other costs.

A spokeswoman for the Canterbury Health Coalition, Ms

Corinne Stevenson, said people were frightened that the local board would be dismissed and replaced by a commissioner, as in Auckland.

The public had to stand by the Canterbury Area Health Board and fight to protect the public health system, said Ms Stevenson.

“It costs $3O million to run Princess Margaret Hospital and it also costs $3O million to pay 650 health workers so what is going to go?”

The public meeting will be held at 114 Peterborough Street at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 5. The acting general manager of the Canterbury Area Health Board, Mr Ron Parker, said a special task force was looking at cost-saving proposals. “It’s been a bit- slower than we expected because of the magnitude of the task but the proposals should come before the board in about two weeks.”