Nats’ new health head: ‘Fewer doctors OK’

Written By: - Date published: 6:55 am, September 15th, 2010 - 12 comments
Categories: health, public services, same old national - Tags:

The state sector is in turmoil. Secondary teachers and medical technicians are already striking for fair pay and against claw-backs in their work conditions. Junior doctors look set to join them. What’s the Nats’ reaction? They’ve appointed the Scottish ‘smiling assassin’, Dr Kevin Woods, who this year fired 1,500 nurses from the Scottish public health system and will apply the same formula here.

This is what the Nats do. They under-invest in public services, they cut everything to the bone.

Ultimately, they don’t believe in public health-care and want to undermine it at every turn.

They don’t understand that a healthy population (and workforce) benefits everyone, including the rich. The Nats believe that the elite who can afford to pay out of pocket for health-care should get it and the rest of us are undeserving.

12 comments on “Nats’ new health head: ‘Fewer doctors OK’ ”

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  1. Mickysavage 1
    15 September 2010 at 7:17 am

    There is a pattern emerging here.

    Phil Heatley castigated the last Labour Government for supposedly letting maintenance of state housing slip and then presides over massive cuts to Housing Corp’s budget. And Ryall has been vociferous in his condemnation of Labour letting health slip. It is now evident that while he has been saying this he has been readying the scalpel for significant cuts.

    What is that word starting with “H”?

    Tax cuts for the wealthy, fewer doctors and nurses for the poor.

    • Bored 1.1
      15 September 2010 at 7:27 am

      Mickey, the pattern is not emerging, it is the norm for National. Ryall and his Goebbels department last week came up with the term “tsunami of dementia” to refer to future aged care costs….the whole idea is to scare us into thinking that good service provision and fair taxation are mutually exclusive.

      My take is that this is class warfare for the tax dollar, there is no justification for the new 4WD or extensions to the 1500 sq metre Waiheke “bach” when another citizen needs surgery.

  2. ABC 2
    15 September 2010 at 8:03 am

    They don’t understand that a healthy population (and workforce) benefits everyone, including the rich.

    This is true and I’ve never understood why they take that line or why they refuse to even discuss it. Clearly the reason has nothing to do with Health-care management issues.

    • Draco T Bastard 2.1
      15 September 2010 at 11:13 am

      Psychopaths. They really, really only think that they matter. NACT think that anything that takes away from them is bad and anything that gives to them is good no matter how much it costs everyone else. In fact, they’re quite happy for it to cost everyone else because then it’s not costing them.

  3. Tiger Mountain 3
    15 September 2010 at 8:06 am

    Dr Kevin Woods–what a prick. No wussy oath of patient care for him! There may not be the desired resources for health care but cuts? Though as others have said partly in jest, if enough people expire early who needs more health spending.

  4. Sanctuary 4
    15 September 2010 at 8:20 am

    Gauleiter Brownlee’s pen is hovering over your arrest warrant as we speak Eddie…

  5. prism 5
    15 September 2010 at 10:42 am

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/4129084/New-ministry-chief-oversaw-massive-cuts-in-Scotland
    I wondered what doctorate Dr Kevin Woods has. He has been in health management since 1990. He’s done well for himself eh!

    Dr Woods has a PhD and bachelor’s degree in geography from the University of London and is a fellow of the Faculty of Public Health. His term is for three years and he takes over from acting director-general Andrew Bridgman.

    • Draco T Bastard 5.1
      15 September 2010 at 11:17 am

      So he doesn’t even know what he’s managing. Seems that he only got the original job in health because he said he could get rid of 1500 nurses.

  6. john 6
    15 September 2010 at 10:54 am

    John Key is the soft ( Well dressed, affable, never stroppy or aggressive, Mister nice) nose of the extreme right’s DumDum bullet which is penetrating New Zealand society.Tragically so many kiwis have bought it!! This Kevin Wood is just a paid mercenary. The treachery of this mob is shown by their ignoring kiwis for this job.We should employ our own first.

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