Health Minister Simeon Brown’s bold new plan is also about doing the infrastructure upgrading in smaller stages rather than single large-scale work. That’s a recipe for slower, piecemeal repairs rather than complete rebuilds, isn’t it? How has that ever worked?
As they warn, the devil is always in the details.
Jeff Hayward, Auckland Central.
Painting over cracks
I recently took someone to Auckland Hospital’s emergency department. It was a Sunday night; we waited 10 hours with no access to food or water, as everything was closed. I asked twice for water, but nothing came.
People were sleeping on the floor; one man, who had been waiting for 12 hours, sitting with us, wept.
The overwhelmed staff misread my friend’s blood results, assuring him they were fine when he was not.
I’m also helping an elderly friend get his cataracts sorted; letters arrive the day before appointments, appointments are made when no doctors are available, records are lost and he’s been waiting for years for what is basically a 20-minute procedure. As his advocate, I put his shambolic treatment in writing a month ago – and still the sound of crickets.
Why don’t we have a Fred Hollows outpatient model? Our entire health system is undeniably in crisis. With four million people now in the North Island alone, we are 50 years behind with strategic planning for healthcare resources.
How do you measure suffering? It was hilarious that amidst all the healthcare chaos, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello made an issue of the term “pregnant people”. It’s like painting over a tiny crack while the dam’s foundation is collapsing.
Russell Hoban, Ponsonby.
The art of the deal
Interesting article, but one point Matthew Hooton (April 17) has not elaborated on is the optics that Donald Trump has announced as a precondition to negotiation of his arbitrary tariffs. Trump’s negotiating skills are more in his mind.
The art of negotiation is to provide a fair deal for both parties. Money for goods you want, or in kind, which is of value to you. It is not achieved through insulting the other party to “kiss his arse”. As a leader of a proud and powerful strong nation – China – I would expect that Xi will await capitulation to him by Trump, possibly by Trump being forced to go to China to get relief.
China is so far displaying all the signs that it is in for the long haul and, economy to economy, it actually appears to be in the stronger position. America owes China money, not the other way around and if it shifts its reserves, it is America which will suffer the most. I would suggest Air Force One book air space to Beijing urgently.
Graeme Berryman, Titirangi.
UK court decision
In a defining moment for the world, deputy director of the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court, Lord Hodge, this week gave a common-sense judgment that a woman is a woman, with the total deletion of transgender individuals from any consideration – an uncompromising moment based entirely on a person’s biological sex alone.
Such a decision must now be taken on board in this country, where Sport New Zealand sadly allows transgender people to participate in community sports as the gender they identify with.
Dr Hylton Le Grice, Remuera.
The origins of Easter
The Herald provided a useful list of enjoyable activities for families over the Easter break.
However, one sad omission was “go to church”.
Easter is a Christian religious festival. Many New Zealanders still profess to be Christians – so that could easily have been added as a desirable and useful activity over the holiday.
Nick Hamilton, Remuera.
