Weston Kirton, mayoral candidate:

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 603, 12 September 1995, Page 10

Weston Kirton, mayoral candidate:

"The people of Waimarino do not have a living document to refer to in regard to health services," according to Weston Kirton, Mayoral candidate. "While attempts have been made to put forward the health of the district, no formal agreement has been reached between the Central Regional Health Authority and the Waimarino community. "To say that people have been consulted properly is incorrect. I have asked many people in the W aimarino whether they have been asked to contribute and in mostcases theanswer is no. "Health needs and delivery services need to be in partnership with the community. To ensure the community have a say, real consultation must take place. People must have the op-

portunity to evaluate the document and make submissions. In my view, not all issues have been addressed satisfactorily. For example there is not a policy for transport and accommodation to a base hospital; should patients have to pay their own way receive a health service in another centre? Is the range of health services at Raetihi what the people want or what the CHE can afford? "Do we have the appropriate primary carer, good accident and emergency services; and ambulance services, for example? If we don't have what we consider basic health services there needs to be an avenue for the community to negotiate with the Health Authority and a real commitment in writing which has performance measures on the delivery of health services. "My concern is that future health services may be provided on the basis of whether or not the provider, in this case Good Health Wanganui, can balance the books or not. "Many communities have put forward submissions and presentations in the past including the Waimarino. The trouble is health authorities have failed to act on some issues or services have been changed. This situation is unacceptable which sees the need of a document agreed between the health authorities and the community".