2.45pm
Nationalising privately owned medical laboratories is the preferred option for laboratory service reforms revealed in a confidential discussion paper prepared for district health boards (DHBs), the Act party says.
Act MP Heather Roy obtained a copy of the consultants' report, Options for Reform of Diagnostic Laboratory Services Markets.
The document recommends restricting the availability of publicly funded diagnostic systems and replacing the present fee-for-service pricing mechanism with a restricted list of approved tests.
The report said there may be "considerable rationalisation of production facilities and increased capacity utilisation", and any loss of capacity would likely be privately owned.
"Nationalising these services would prove a nightmare for New Zealand families, instead of being able to obtain the security of getting a check-up test, we would have to subject ourselves to the bureaucracy that comes with government control," Mrs Roy said in a statement.
The report said that although core facilities were located around DHBs, it did not imply they needed to own and operate the integrated facilities or that all testing needed to be done on one site.
In Parliament yesterday Associate Health Minister Damien O'Connor, answering questions on behalf on Health Minister Annette King, said he could not guarantee DHBs would not implement the preferred option as they were the agencies responsible for funding laboratory services.
"However, I would expect to be briefed on any major change in service provision. I would expect district health boards to honour existing contracts."
Asked whether there was any evidence state-run laboratories did any better than those privately owned and operated, Mr O'Connor said: "Responsibility for the consultation on this document is that of DHB New Zealand. It's up to them to consult with the laboratories and to work through all of those issues.
"I would expect that any contract signed into would uphold the very highest standards of laboratory services for all New Zealanders."
The report said DHB NZ had estimated an expenditure growth rate of 5-6 per cent in the 2001-2002 year, primarily driven by the steady increase in the volume of tests ordered by GPs and specialists. DHBs had also come under further pressure from community laboratories to increase prices for community-referred laboratory services.
Under current funding arrangements, DHBs had little control of the quantity and composition of expenditure, the report said.
DHB NZ was assessing the existing arrangements for providing laboratory services with a view to improving purchasing efficiency and increase DHBs' control over the significant and growing area.
Other options for reform included changing pricing structures and exposing community laboratories to price competition and restricting the availability of publicly funded tests.
- NZPA
Plan to nationalise lab services, Act says
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