Health NZ scraps Code Black alert for emergency departments in crisis
Health New Zealand has scrapped the highest Code Black alert used by some emergency departments to show when they are critically overcrowded or understaffed.
The agency said its new ED At A Glance system was about getting a “nationally consistent” approach – but some doctors suspected it was intended to make conditions look better than they really were.
Crowded EDs had been hitting Code Black when they reached more than 145 percent of maximum occupancy.
Internal documents seen by RNZ showed that alert was gone and the thresholds for other levels had been pushed higher.
Code Red – when care capacity was considered “critically reduced” – had jumped from 120 percent to over 135 percent.
One emergency doctor, whom RNZ has agreed not to name, said it was “just moving the goal posts”.
Glorious isn’t it?
Hiding the true scale of emergency in Health by rigging a new warning system so it doesn’t generate news headlines that m are Kiwis feel deeply uncomfortable about voting in this hard right racist, climate denying, beneficial bashing, disabled abusing Government.
The Commissioner who has been appointed to be the hatchet man for the first wave of austerity and privatisation inside Public Health is entirely manufactured.
In the Budget, National allocated just 2.9% increase to health services but inflation was 3.3% and population growth 2.6% while an ageing population adds more to costs.
National gave 2.9% for health but we needed 8% to stand still, is the electorate dumb enough to fall for National’s latest manufactured public service crisis to introduce more failed free market reforms?
The Minister says we can’t afford $1.4billion for health but we could borrow $14billion for tax cuts, again is the electorate dumb enough to believe this?
This is really serious and the speed with which it has been forced by a Government hell bent on borrowing for tax cuts but not for public services!
We wouldn’t be needing to find an extra billion if we weren’t borrowing $14 billion for tax cuts!!!!!!
Health NZ are rigging the new warning levels so you don’t understand how bad things are.
This is what we are as a country now.
This is what we have become under National, ACT and NZF.
If you are not angry yet, you aren’t paying attention.
National don’t give a shit about public health because their voters have private health insurance!
I don’t think people appreciate just how radical our neoliberal reforms were to public services and no where can you see the grim truth of throwing out egalitarianism and progressive fairness for money and profit margins better than this brilliant Stuff article that highlights the terrible legacy of fucking over our public health system.
Look at these stats and gasp in horror at what we have wrought…
…people claim this can’t be true, but the facts stack it up and it is true.
We have progressively decreased taxing the richest to fund out public services until the public services fall over and the public scream ‘something must be done’ and the Right ‘here’s something’ and they privatise a little more and you get even less.
The ease with which the sleepy hobbits of muddle NuZilind are led to give the rich more while hurting the poor is a Kiwi super power.
Feel shame at how you anger is manipulated by the Right every election Kiwi.
Let that shame burn.
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Reti won’t hit his targets but alas, will keep his job, Te Whatu Ora staff not so much.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/gp-practices-lay-complaint-with-commerce-commision-over-unfair-and-illegal-contracts/OKOCG3GXYRB67ALC7W2BLLWR4I/
Bring back Labour.
We know now how truly appalling this government is on health. But we were warned as the previous 9 years under National proved, as they critically underfunded health.
Looking at the dates it seems both parties did a poor job of fixing our health system.
It seems to be a worldwide problem authentication NHS in the UK is in a poor way as are many of the EU Hospitals ..It probably has something to do with more people getting old and doctors able to keep more people alive.
Only one party over the past 3 governments has invested heavily into health to try and fix our health system. Two have cut funding, the same two underinvesting whilst promoting immigration. You are correct that we have more people getting older because we allow more people into this country whilst underinvesting and making cuts to health. That is insanity.
More to do with people being more interested in maintaining their things than looking after their health. The mass food and advertising industry has convinced most of the population that the SAD is the best way to live and they are suffering the consequences. (Standard American diet)
Humans will always have health issues so it is more to do with the amount of people per infrastructure.
Cigaretti just made another non announcement yesterday .He now thinks he can fix health by not investing any more money .Still no plan to get the new hospital at North Shore up and running .He used smoke and mirrors to pretend to have opened it ,but in reality he has closed half of the existing hospital and just moved the deck chairs to another deck of a sinking ship
Absolutely correct.
Sounds as if Cigaretti, Levvy and Luxton are going to make a real Dogs Breakfast out of our already broken Health Department and Hospital system.
Why are we not surprised? It’s an old tactic to pretend it’s all ticking along when it’s not.
If you don’t like the rules, you change them. That way, you always win.
The other word that comes to mind is ‘dishonesty’ but this is politicians we’re talking about. They are such noble people, they wouldn’t be dishonest. Not with peoples’ health, surely?
100% Correct
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/527917/paramedic-gives-shout-out-to-unknown-man-who-saved-paraglider-s-life
Will this bloke go on ACC? Shouldn’t all people taking up sport of a notably perilous kind be charged full cost for rescue and hospitalisation and rehabilitation? I know that would be tough but there is a cost. and some part-payment at least, enough to hurt! should always be made.
And home care for the elderly is being abused by many wealthy I have been told. They ask for personal help stressing that they are needy, and the helper finds when arriving to do the caring that they are wanted to vacuum, dust, clean or do the dishes. So cutting out the option for cleaning by carers could be a big saving on government caring contracts. And a reliable firm of cleaners who will not pinch stuff or give hints to compatriots, could then be utilised separately for a reasonable fee for those who want it. Reti please note.
And note that ACC employing carers aren’t getting what they pay for in full, as ACC people need daily help but caring firms often don’t work on holidays and excuse their non-attendance to being unable to find workers.
Under NACT et al, there will be more good business opportunities rorting the government or patients as more and more contracting out to private business occurs. The Big Hurt is spreading…..
Thank you Martyn for this keep it up.
It has been a long time coming .
THIS NEEDS TO BE ON THE WORKING GROUP>
Get Malcolm Mulholland of Patient Voice Aotearoa on the working group.
As you know i have been banging on about our health system since the Daily Blog started.
Our health system is one step away from total collapse.
Kiwis are ignorant and blind to this fact.
With the old KIWI SHE’LL BE RIGHT, I AM OK JACK who gives a damn about anyone one else.
As I said right from the start kiwi didn’t give a damn until it started biting their own interests.
Now look where we are.
The Christchurch district health board Revolt after the earthquakes was JUST THE START.
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