Queen Mary would stay—Nats

Press, 29 July 1989, Page 5

Queen Mary would stay—Nats

By

DEBORAH McPHERSON

Queen Mary Hospital at Hanmer Springs would remain open under a National Government, says the Opposition’s spokesman on health, Mr Don McKinnon. Closing Queen Mary was one of several cost-saving options being considered by the Canterbury Area Health Board to help it slash $3O million from its budget. “Our view clearly states that

hospitals should be expected to stand alone financially, funded by the services they provide,” said Mr McKinnon. “In the case of Queen Mary’s at Hanmer, with only 20 per cent of patients from the Canterbury area, the 80 per cent of patients from the rest of New Zealand would be fully funded from the area health districts from which they came.” Queen Mary could charge those health districts outside the Canter-

bury area the full. charge for keeping patients on a daily basis, said Mr McKinnon. “There would be no subsidy from the Canterbury area.” Mr McKinnon said Queen Mary Hospital was too important and successful in the treatment of alcohol and drug abuse for it to be lost to health cuts. He also criticised the lack of direction on the issue from the Minister of Health, Ms Clark.