Finances force tougher points system on waiting patients

By FRANCESCA MOLD

Fewer South Aucklanders waiting for hip replacements and head and neck operations will be eligible for surgery after the district health board put tougher limits on the number of people it can treat.

National MP Dr Lynda Scott revealed figures in Parliament yesterday showing Counties Manukau DHB had increased the number of points needed before patients become eligible for certain operations.

In September 2000, hip replacement patients had to collect 65 points before being booked for an operation. That has increased to 79.

In 2000, otolaryngology (head and neck) patients needed 40 points but that has been bumped up to 45.

Patients collect points based on the severity of illness, the amount of pain and level of disability. They must get a high enough score to meet the district health board's "financially sustainable threshold" before getting an operation.

Dr Scott said South Auckland patients were missing out on surgery because their health board could no longer afford to treat them.

Health Minister Annette King confirmed there had been a slight shift in points at Counties Manukau. But she said Auckland District Health Board had put its points for similar operations down.

"Some points have gone up and some have gone down, but most have stayed the same," she said. "The level of service across the country remains at similar levels to last year."

Ms King said Dr Scott had been selective in the figures she had released publicly.

Ministry of Health figures, provided to Dr Scott and supplied to the Herald by Ms King, showed that seven DHBs had kept the points needed for hip operations stable in the past two years. The same number had increased the number of points needed before being eligible.

In terms of grommet operations, nine health boards had kept the points stable, one had decreased them and two had increased.

Points needed for cataract operations had remained stable at six district health boards, increased at four and decreased at five.

Counties Manukau DHB chief executive Stephen McKernan said he was concerned the points threshold had gone up. He said a large number of patients now had to be referred back to their GPs because they did not qualify for surgery.