Bernard Walker, Mt Maunganui.
Fair hearing
No one will argue that we desperately need more healthcare workers. What is missing from the discussion is the predicament of hearing-impaired people, many of whom have difficulty with accents, even with hearing aids.
For some, there are times when it will be impossible to understand what the other person is saying, no matter how slowly they speak or how many times the sentence is spoken, and the only option is to ask for something to be written down, unless there is an accompanying family member or support person available to interpret. This is no reflection on the healthcare worker, but rather a reality of hearing loss.
As such, there will always be some patients who need/prefer to communicate with non-accented or minimally accented healthcare professionals simply so they can understand what is happening. Such requests, in context, should never be taken personally but rather as part of a patient’s needs. The key is that we are all able to be respectful to and understanding of each other regardless of our background.
Christina Ilich, Glendowie.
Key connection
In the recent discussion about language use in hospitals, one important aspect has not been mentioned, and that is the availability of healthcare interpreter services covering all major Auckland hospitals.
The services employ and contract professionally trained and certified interpreters who are vital in doctor/nurse-patient consultations where the patient’s first language is not English. Hospital staff speaking to each other in their own foreign language should not be seen as detrimental to a patient’s right to clear communication, unless a patient is directly involved. In that case, the service of a professional healthcare interpreter should be used.
Dr Sabine Fenton MNZM, Auckland healthcare interpreter service.
Fireworks plea
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon prides himself on being a man of the people and listening to their concerns. He and his Government have shown they listen to aggrieved landlords, thwarted developers, vapers, gun owners and people who want to drive faster and don’t like speed bumps. We are asking him to please listen to us.
Every year, we view the approach of Guy Fawkes Night with foreboding. It will mean keeping the frightened dog indoors, shifting livestock to distant paddocks, being disturbed night after night by booms and bangs and, as happened on one occasion, the potential of a blaze in the nearby wetland.
Sparklers and golden rain are fun in the backyard, but public fireworks events are much better. They are free and run by responsible people, not hooligans who can buy fireworks downtown and disturb the community for months. Please listen to us, Prime Minister: ban the public sale of fireworks.
Ann and Basil Graeme, Tauranga.
Political irony
I can imagine a wonderful Gilbert and Sullivan opera based on the rather mysterious but well-funded Ministry for Regulation. The existence of this ministry would be very amusing if it weren’t depleting the public purse on quite a grand scale.
It is ironic that people are losing their jobs and real community needs are not being met because of financial constraints, and yet we have this new creation in Wellington that no doubt will grow and flourish.
JA Mills, Whangārei.
Charity review
There should be public demand for a review of all charity organisations to determine their transparency as to their political party alignment, religious organisations posing as charities or vice versa, plus the value in dollar terms that is used to provide services – e.g. 90 cents out of every dollar to recipients, or 90c out of every dollar to administration and CEO salaries.
The whole charity phenomenon needs urgent review as there are too many variables at present in the charities law. The public needs to know where their donations are going.
Marie Kaire, Whangārei.
