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David Cunliffe has had his first experience of the health system as its new minister - and found it took two hours to get his fractured foot sorted out by staff who apparently didn't recognise him.
The New Lynn MP tripped on the bottom step of a flight of stairs at home last Friday night and fractured a metatarsal bone in his right foot.
Mr Cunliffe went to Auckland City Hospital's accident and emergency department where he likened his visit to being a "mystery shopper".
"I clearly have a profile problem because I don't think Auckland A&E knew who I was," Mr Cunliffe joked to reporters yesterday.
"And I got excellent care, thank you very much."
Asked if he was happy with the wait at the hospital, Mr Cunliffe said it was fine although he confessed to being in "moderate but not too bad" pain as he waited.
The whole process at the hospital took about two hours and Mr Cunliffe said he did not ask for special treatment and was sure he did not get any.
He appeared for work yesterday at Parliament on crutches and said he expected to be in that state for the next four to six weeks.
Asked if he had private health insurance cover, Mr Cunliffe said his wife did through her employer but he did not have a policy.
The bone Mr Cunliffe has fractured has gained notoriety in sporting circles over the past few years, with high-profile injury sufferers including English football stars David Beckham and Wayne Rooney.
There are five metatarsals in a person's foot, and they are the bones that go through the foot from the ankle, connecting to each toe.
