“National is reducing dementia and psychogeriatric beds capacity at the new Dunedin Hospital by almost half, with no alternative clinical option for older people,” Labour mental health and seniors spokesperson Ingrid Leary said.
“Psychogeriatric care is complex, requiring specialist services and care which are already very scarce in the community.
“Labour had a review underway to look at the best model of care for psychogeriatric services, but that work seems to have been shelved.
“Scaling back the hospital beds on the basis of an as-yet undefined model of care is at best magical thinking, at worst another way of concealing cuts.
“The lower South Island has an older population per capita than most parts of NZ and is already amongst the worst off when it comes to the postcode lottery for access to specialist mental health services.
“To make slash and burn decisions in this context is a slap in the face to our communities and renders Simeon Brown’s assurances earlier this year plain gaslighting,” Ingrid Leary said.
The COC are showing their true colours we have an ageing population. And the National party lies about the rebuild of Dunedin hospital are coming home to roost. We have 16 more months of this rotten, lying, underdelivering COC government who will turn on one another at the next election to get back in. And the bald one will concoct all the excuses in the world to cover his backside.
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