More distressing stories from frontline staff show a health sector in crisis, yet the Government continues to bury its head in the sand, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.

“There has been a number of heart-breaking stories from frontline staff in hospitals across New Zealand who are seeing first hand a health sector at breaking point and in need of urgent action, “ says Dr Reti.

“It was distressing to hear in an interview a paramedic servicing Waikato Hospital claim the hospital was so overrun that at one point 15 ambulances were being used as waiting rooms for patients because the emergency department was too full.  This meant there were no spare ambulances in the region to attend other emergencies.

“Even more worrying is the claim that a patient passed away on a stretcher in the emergency department and was left there for two hours before someone noticed.

“This is appalling and incredibly concerning to hear.

“This comes on the back of reports that surgeons at Christchurch Hospital are being forced to decide which cancer patients to treat due to staff shortages.

“These stories are all too common throughout New Zealand. It is not good enough and Health Minister Ayesha Verrall needs to front up and explain to New Zealanders why they are not getting the healthcare they deserve.

“All Labour has delivered in six years is a shortage of doctors, nurses and specialists and worse access to health services for New Zealanders.

“Labour can’t even produce accurate data so it’s no wonder they don’t know what is going on.

“National will build the health workforce, set health targets to hold ourselves accountable to New Zealanders, and redirect health funding to the frontline.”