It's disappointing that the Northland Age didn't request a comment from Northland DHB to ensure that the story was balanced ('No one is listening, family says', August 17).
Sushila contacts her clinician and me by email, often many times a day. I would have literally hundreds of emails on file, and although we are unable to respond to every one, they are all read, and where possible we have tried to ensure we have addressed her concerns.
Rest assured, Sushila's daughter Alisha has received more attention, time and thought from me and many of my staff than any other Northland patient during my time as chief executive.
A few years ago, with the support of her incredibly caring and competent physician, and other NDHB staff and her GP, and pharmacist, we were able to get approval from Pharmac to allow Northland DHB to pay the over $10,000 a year for Alisha's medication.
This involved a number of letters, emails and phone calls to the chief executive of Pharmac. I understand we were the first DHB in NZ to pay for this medication to ensure this financial burden did not rest with Sushila and Royd and the Butt family.
