New view of waiting lists

Health Minister Annette King is steadfastly backing her record on hospital waiting lists, despite a claim the number of people awaiting their first specialist assessment increased by 15 per cent in the past six years.

Act MP Heather Roy revealed at the weekend that 110,879 people were awaiting first assessment, up 15 per cent on the 96,000 waiting in 1998 which Ms King - then an Opposition MP - labelled "criminal".

"What is her explanation ... of why 96,000 is criminal and 110,000 isn't?" Mrs Roy asked in Parliament.

Ms King replied: "Easily, because in 1998, the 96,000 was a rough assessment made of people waiting.

"It's criminal because nobody knew how many were waiting, no records were kept for how many were waiting and ... only 20 per cent of those currently waiting have waited longer than six months."

Many of the 96,000 in 1998 had been on the list for years; some died and some went to Australia, Ms King claimed.

- NZPA