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Health
Health Minister needs to focus on outcomes
June 30, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
Our health system has never been in a worse state and Andrew Little’s billion dollar restructure, which launches tomorrow, will do nothing to fix it, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
No money for ED doctors and nurses but nearly 1,000 more consultants
June 29, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
We now know why Andrew Little isn’t resourcing Emergency Departments – because he has spent it all on consultants and contractors, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Andrew Little ignored health sector pleas a year ago
June 28, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
Newly released information shows that Health Minister Andrew Little ignored warnings a year ago about the risk of crippling health shortages, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Patients leaving Middlemore without receiving medical care
June 22, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
Patients are waiting longer to receive medical care at Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital ED and some are even giving up, National’s Party Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Transparency needed over ED wait times
June 17, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
Lessons need to be learned from any contribution that long waiting times played in the tragic death of a patient at Middlemore Hospital this week, National Party Health Spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Damning report reflects Labour’s mismanagement
June 01, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
Today’s Pharmac report is a damning reflection of the Labour Government’s mismanagement of health, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Another million wasted on spin
May 16, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
Health Minister Andrew Little’s list of wasteful spending is growing larger, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Health Minister’s ‘plan’ yet another working group
May 04, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
After months of denying that ballooning hospital waitlists were even a problem, a panicked Health Minister today announced Labour’s big solution – a ‘high-powered’ taskforce, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Health reforms – here comes the bureaucracy
April 23, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
The race is on for which Labour minister can build the biggest bureaucracy, spend more money and yet have worse outcomes and Andrew Little’s health reforms announcement this week clearly puts him in front, National Health Spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says
$21 million worth of vaccines down the drain
April 10, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
Health Minister Andrew Little is failing to protect New Zealanders after allowing $21 million worth of vaccines to expire, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Thousands of vaccines left to expire, again
April 07, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
Thousands of meningococcal vaccines have been left to expire instead of being given to those most at risk, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Botched measles programme cost $1900 per person
April 04, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
The botched $20 million measles vaccine catch-up programme is worse than it appears, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Government must do more for Pacific people
March 05, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
Data showing Pacific people are contracting Covid-19 four times more than Maori and eight times more than non-Maori should be a wakeup call to the Government to do more to support this at-risk group, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Waiting 789 days to see a specialist
March 01, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
Andrew Little’s failure to prepare the health system for a Covid-19 outbreak has meant that planned surgery for hips, knees and cataracts have been cancelled in record numbers, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Hospitals at 100 per cent occupancy before Omicron
February 22, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
The Delta outbreak exposed Andrew Little’s failure to resource ICUs, and now Omicron is exposing his failure to resource general hospital beds, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Health Minister has failed health workers
February 18, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
Increasing health workforce shortages and strikes lay squarely at the feet of Health Minister Andrew Little, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
$60M maternity funding diverted to health restructuring over more midwives
January 12, 2022
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Dr Shane Reti
The temporary closure of Queen Mary maternity services at Dunedin Hospital is further evidence of Andrew Little being prepared to sacrifice health services over bureaucracy for his precious health system restructuring, says National’s Health Spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
ICU spend up is one Christmas too late
December 16, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The Government’s announced ICU spend up is one Christmas too late, National’s spokesperson for Health Dr Shane Reti says.
No extra ICU beds until June 2022
December 07, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Health Minister Andrew Little made the shocking admission today that extra ICU beds won’t be ready until June next year, National Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Extra ICU funding finally, but don’t hold your breath
December 03, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Health Minister Andrew Little has finally acknowledged that his failure to build ICU beds in the past 18 months needs to be fixed, with the announcement of funding for capital spend on ICU beds, says National Party Health Spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Late and lazy PHARMAC whitewash tells us nothing new
December 03, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Today’s interim release of the PHARMAC inquiry is late and lazy tells us nothing we didn’t know beforehand, says National Party Health Spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
‘Resourced’ ICU beds have no ventilators in three DHBs
November 23, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Andrew Little needs to explain why some DHBs are counting ICU beds as “resourced” despite not having enough ventilators for those beds, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
Andrew Little reduces ICU beds mid-pandemic
November 22, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Andrew Little has been caught out obscuring ICU bed numbers by mixing adult ICU beds with paediatric beds making the overall number of ICU beds look bigger when in fact the Delta outbreak is mostly all about adult ICU beds, says National Party Health Spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
Andrew Little stopped counting hospital PPE when the pandemic started
November 19, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Stopping weekly audits of personal protective equipment (PPE) inventory after a pandemic has started has to be one of the dumbest things the Government has done, says National’s health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti
Andrew Little pooh-poohed early warning letter about Whangārei Hospital
November 15, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Andrew Little was warned to progress the health infrastructure in Northland months before sewage started running down the walls, says Dr Shane Reti, National’s spokesperson for Health and List MP in Whangārei.
Why were test results for the two Northland women missing for 48 hours?
November 14, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Northlanders are sick and tired of incomplete information, delayed results and late notification of locations of interest for nearly every single one of its positive Covid cases in the current outbreak and Jacinda Ardern and her Government must be held accountable, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
ICU bed numbers slump in Auckland
November 11, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
New information on ICU bed occupancy during the current outbreak shows the very slim margins district health boards are running with ICU beds, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
100,000 Kiwis denied hospital care because of Labour’s failure
November 10, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Andrew Little’s failure to prepare the health system for Delta has resulted in more than 100,000 Kiwis missing out on planned hospital procedures, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
Andrew Little confirms no new adult ICU beds in Auckland in the past 18 months
October 31, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The increasing number of positive community cases of Covid in Auckland will place an increasing burden on ICUs that Andrew Little has done nothing about for 18 months, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
Labour’s health restructuring figures don’t stack up
October 30, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Andrew Little’s health restructuring comprises financial figures that are not credible and can only be explained as having been massaged to make them look better, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
Andrew Little wrecking DHBs in a pandemic
October 28, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Andrew Little and the Labour Government are taking a wrecking ball to district health boards by introducing a bill that will dissolve DHBs and permanently damage the goodwill of staff and communities, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
Minister won’t investigate cancelled cancer procedures
October 23, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Andrew Little’s lack of interest in cancer procedures cancelled over the lockdown is callous and negligent, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
New data shows alarming ICU occupancy rates
October 22, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
No one is buying Health Minister Andrew Little’s figures of available ICU beds as new figures reveal an increasingly stretched system, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
No new ICU beds costing 1000 surgeries per week
October 18, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The Government’s failure to provide any new ICU beds means 1000 elective surgeries are being cancelled every week, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
Little’s big fees costing New Zealand vital ICU beds
October 17, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The $1.4 million spent by Minister of Health Andrew Little on consultants working on his ill-conceived restructure of the health system over just two months could have paid for two new, fully-resourced ICU beds, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
ICUs with large Māori populations already at maximum capacity, what happens when Covid hits?
October 15, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Intensive care unit occupancy rates in district health board areas with large Māori populations were at capacity even before Covid and the current Delta outbreak, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
Andrew Little still splurging on consultants for his poorly-timed health restructure
October 14, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Andrew Little must explain why he continues to splurge on consulting firms for the government’s poorly-timed health restructure instead of focusing on frontline services while we are in the midst of a pandemic, says National’s Health spokesperson, Dr Shane Reti.
OIA documents prove Pharmac’s independent inquiry is a toothless whitewash
October 11, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Following a damning survey of Pharmac, National can also reveal documents received under OIA show the delayed independent inquiry into the national drug purchasing agency is a toothless whitewash and another nail in the coffin for Andrew Little, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
I wrote to Minister Little in February about Māori vaccinations
October 07, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
On the 23rd of February this year, before the vaccines had even arrived, I wrote to Health Minister Andrew Little asking for financial support for Māori health providers in order for them to play an important role in the vaccine roll-out, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Under-prepared ICU beds at 120 per cent capacity day of lockdown
October 07, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Andrew Little did not add one single resourced ICU bed to Auckland’s three district health boards in the almost 18 months since the end of the first Covid lockdown last year, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
National planning for a strong health system
September 29, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
National’s Covid-19 Plan, ‘Opening Up’ includes a strong priority on improving our hospitals, expanding our ICU capacity and funding treatments for Covid-19, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti and Associate Health spokesperson Simon Watts say.
Mongrel Mob meth programme gets dodgier by the day
September 26, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The Prime Minister has more questions to answer on the Mongrel Mob meth programme as it’s reveal the time the project would run each year decreased as the overall funding increased, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Multiple ICU failings from a distracted Minister
September 24, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Health Minister Andrew Little has serious questions to answer over New Zealand’s Intensive Care Unit capacity, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Terrible timing of restructuring reinforces Government’s inept approach to health
September 23, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The Government’s appointment of board members to head up its ill-timed and ideologically-driven health system restructure shows how out of step it is on the chronic issues currently affecting New Zealand’s health system, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
Government blanked Northland mayors on lockdown
September 21, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Jacinda Ardern’s Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet consulted Northland’s three Labour MPs but not Northland’s mayors before extending the region’s level 4 lockdown.
No proof Mob’s meth programme participants ever used the drug in the first place
September 19, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
There is no hard evidence any of the participants in the Mongrel Mob methamphetamine pilot had actually used the drug at all, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
Government splashes cash on consultants rather than cancer
September 17, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The Government has no extra funding for cancer treatment but has splashed $4.3 million on consultancy fees for its ill-conceived health system restructuring plan, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
Aus GPs can vaccinate against Covid-19, but not in NZ
September 16, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
In July Australia was on track to authorise 1300 GPs so they could administer the Pfizer vaccine, yet New Zealand still hasn’t recognised GPs as an important tool in our vaccine rollout, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Over-65s flu vaccination missing targets – especially among Māori
September 15, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Another year of the Government’s failed influenza vaccination programme will cost lives, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
Why are we still figuring out hospital visitation policy?
September 14, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
It is hard to believe that, five months after Delta hit New Zealand arrived and after five weeks of lockdown, that the visitor policies of Auckland’s three district health boards are yet to be figured out, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
Will the Minister now take responsibility for the crisis at Middlemore Hospital?
September 10, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Middlemore Hospital is in the highest risk area in the current Covid outbreak and needs leadership from the Minister of Health – not abdication of responsibility, says National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
How many close and casual contacts at Middlemore?
September 08, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Despite questions in Parliament yesterday, intense media interest in the matter today, and advanced notice that I was going to return to the issue today, Minister of Health Andrew Little still hasn’t bothered to find out the most important details about the Covid-positive patient at Middlemore Hospital, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Minister Little unaware of pathways for patients
September 07, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
If the Minister of Health is taking seriously the situation at Middlemore Hospital where a Covid-positive patient was placed in a general ward with three other patients, why has he been unable to provide any details as to the impact of the incident on the hospital and workforce, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Government drops vaccination ball again by failing to approve Auckland pharmacies
September 06, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
New Zealand’s low vaccination rate can also be credited to late and lazy engagement with primary care providers such as pharmacies, says National’s Health spokesman Dr Shane Reti.
Health system unprepared for a Delta outbreak
September 03, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The Government must explain why the health system was so unprepared for a Delta outbreak and why no new ICU bed spaces were provisioned over the five months since Delta first appeared in our MIQ facilities, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Labour making it too hard for pharmacies to vaccinate
August 27, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The Government should be making it as easy as possible for our pharmacies to become authorised to administer the Covid-19 vaccine, especially while the country is locked down due to a Delta outbreak, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Cancer Society latest to experience Little’s temper
August 16, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Instead of apologising for his comments on One News on Saturday calling the Cancer Society “off the planet” Andrew Little has doubled down in a tweet exchange on Sunday and again name called the Cancer Society, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Labour isn’t taking cancer seriously
August 12, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
By removing targets to diagnose and treat cancer Labour is taking its eye off a very deadly ball, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Rei says.
Maternity funding redirected to health restructure
August 10, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The Labour Government should be valuing midwives more than their own ideology, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Health system restructuring leads to boom in bureaucrats
August 09, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
One year before the health system restructuring even starts, the health system restructuring unit in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has already tripled in staff numbers, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Indicators aren’t targets Minister Little
August 06, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
It’s taken four years for Health Minister Andrew Little to recognise there needs to be some measuring and reporting on the performance of the health system, but indicators aren’t targets and will do little to improve health outcomes, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Waiting list blowout nothing to do with Covid
August 05, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Health Minister Andrew Little can’t blame Covid for the shocking number of Kiwis overdue for specialist medical assessment and treatment because these wait lists had already blown out well before 2020, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti.
National making life a little easier for Kiwis with cancer
August 05, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
A change in the law which would see the law changed so that Kiwis can have their unfunded chemotherapy drugs administered in DHBs with the cost covered is a sensible move and should be supported by all of Parliament, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Health system buckling under Labour’s mismanagement
July 30, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
It’s unsurprising nurses have declined the Government’s latest pay offer when the Government’s own data shows it’s more interested in boosting the number of bureaucrats in the health system than our doctors and nurses, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Labour’s made a complete meth of things
July 27, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Labour’s short-sighted decision in 2018 to scrap National’s highly successful Meth Action Plan – and its outright refusal to accept that New Zealand has a gang problem – is contributing to a surge in gang membership, meth use and misery in New Zealand’s most deprived communities, National’s health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
No plan to address critical health workforce crisis
June 10, 2021
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Simon Watts
The Government is more focused on shuffling deckchairs than the critical health workforce shortage all DHBs are facing, National’s Associate Health spokesperson Simon Watts says.
Labour’s Budget has no teeth
May 25, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
A key dental health promise from Labour during the election has been dropped in order to pay for its radical $486 million Health restructure, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Labour’s direction in health hugely disappointing
May 21, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Yesterday’s Broken Compass Budget has revealed the impact the Government’s decision to radically restructure our health sector will have on the health of all New Zealanders, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Andrew Little suggests cuts to health services
May 18, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Health Minister Andrew Little needs to rule out cutting health services to pay for his radical restructuring plans for the health sector, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Healthcare should prioritise need, not race
May 04, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The Government’s proposed Māori Health Authority is simply not about generating better health outcomes for Māori, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Dr Shane Reti says.
National calls for wider debate on Māori Health Authority
April 28, 2021
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Judith Collins
National is calling on the Government to let New Zealanders have more of a say on whether they want a Māori Health Authority, Leader of the Opposition Judith Collins says.
Reckless health restructure removes local voice
April 21, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Replacing all District Health Boards across the country will see our regions and smaller communities lose their voice and their autonomy, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
‘Gagging’ of DHB members should not be tolerated
April 20, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
Any moves to muzzle elected District Health Board members from commenting honestly on the Government’s health system restructure should not be allowed to happen, National’s Deputy Leader and Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
DHBs discharging elderly in the middle of the night
April 17, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The Government needs to explain why it’s allowing DHBs to discharge our elderly people from hospital in the middle of the night, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Cancer doesn’t just affect the wealthy, Grant Robertson
April 09, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti is calling out Finance Minister Grant Robertson for making the issue of unfunded cancer drugs an issue for the wealthy.
Unfunded chemotherapy drugs to be administered for free
April 05, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The National Party wants to see the law changed so that Kiwis can have their unfunded chemotherapy drugs administered in DHBs and cover the cost of this, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Govt removed warning system for overwhelmed EDs
March 28, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The Labour Government removed the early warning system for overwhelmed emergency departments when it scrapped DHB targets for waiting times, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Govt needs to tell us which DHBs are getting the chop
March 18, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The Government needs to be honest with the public about which DHBs it plans to scrap, given the pace of these reforms, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Stronger sunscreen standards on the horizon
March 11, 2021
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Todd Muller
A Member’s Bill that would make sure all sunscreens on the shelf meet our standards and provide the protection they claim has been pulled from the ballot today, Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller says.
Two years and still no medicinal cannabis
March 10, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
A Member’s Bill that would make New Zealand’s medicinal cannabis scheme more affordable and more accessible to those that need it has been voted down by the Labour Government.
Contact tracing failing New Zealanders
March 02, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
After more than a year of dealing with Covid-19 the Government is still failing its own contact tracing performance measures and is failing to be open and transparent about locations of interest, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
PHARMAC inquiry light and late
March 02, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The Government’s long overdue inquiry into PHARMAC is light on detail and several years late, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Five-point plan to get New Zealand out of lockdown
February 28, 2021
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Chris Bishop
National is urging the Government to get on top of the latest Covid-19 outbreak in Auckland by adopting a five-point plan for managing community cases, National’s Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop and Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti say.
Ditch DHB merger, spend funding on medicines instead
January 24, 2021
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Dr Shane Reti
The Government should stop spending millions of dollars on its health sector experiment and focus the funding on areas that will actually make a difference to the lives of New Zealanders, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.
Second inquiry into Pharmac vetoed by Labour
December 03, 2020
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Dr Shane Reti
The Government has once again stopped the Health Select Committee from initiating an inquiry into Pharmac, despite widespread consensus during the campaign that such an inquiry is needed, National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says.