KEY POINTS:
Hospitals are experiencing more frequent Code Red days this year than last and the winter flu season hasn't started yet, National's health spokesman Tony Ryall says.
Code Red days are times when hospitals can't cope with patient demand.
"There are major problems throughout the hospital system, particularly with shortages in key frontline staff," Mr Ryall said, citing figures obtained under the Official Information Act.
"We know that some hospitals are closing down beds because of staff shortages."
Mr Ryall said his figures showed Code Red days were happening earlier and more frequently this year than they did last year.
There were 10 Code Red days at Wellington Hospital in February this year, and six in March.
Last year, numbers peaked at six in September.
Since September last year, Dunedin Hospital has had 60 Red Code days, while so far this year Auckland DHB has had 24 and Wairarapa 13.
"What's really concerning here is that you look at the trends at the beginning of 2007 compared with this year, and the Code Reds appear to be happening earlier and more frequently," Mr Ryall said.
National has put out a discussion paper on ways to address health workforce problems and Mr Ryall said it included voluntary bonding of doctors in hard to staff areas.
"Labour dismissed this policy right up until this week," he said.
"Now, the current Minister of Health (David Cunliffe) says it has always been part of Labour's plan.
"That plan has involved the production of 43 workforce reports since 2002 - clearly Labour's `plan' isn't working."
- NZPA
