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Article: Waiting-list size hidden ~ Bunkle; Alliance responds to Govt figures
- Article from:
- The Press
- Article date:
- September 21, 1996
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1996 The Press. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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The Government is hiding the size of waiting lists by
transferring
people on to its booking system for surgery, says Alliance health
spokeswoman Phillida Bunkle.
The booking system removed the list, but not the people waiting,
she said.
Health Minister Jenny Shipley yesterday released the latest
hospital waiting-list figures, which show that in June, 94,057
people
were waiting for hospital operations.
This compared to March, when 95,470 people were waiting.
The largest waiting list is for orthopaedic surgery with 24,435.
The next largest is general surgery (21,014) and ear, nose, and
throat surgery (11,011).
Mrs Shipley said opposition parties had claimed that more than
100,000 people were ...