Letters:Criticism of Lakes and other DHBs is rude

A reader is impressed with their healthcare in Rotorua. Photo / File

Upon reading the Facebook Feedback in the Rotorua Daily Post, I am appalled at the attitude of a number of our citizens and their comments about our hospital.

Criticism of Lakes and other DHBs about their perceived lack of service is rude when one considers that for the last nine years we have had a government that had kept a very tight lid on funding for essential services - ie health, education, justice and police, while allowing housing to stagnate and house prices to rise to phenomenal levels. All, to keep taxes down and give tax cuts to the well off.

If some people put as much effort into looking after their health as they do in finding fault with our hospital maybe they would not need the service so much.

Having been an in patient, on a number of times I have found the help I have received exemplary, delivered in a very courteous way and I have always made a point of giving my thanks to the staff who have helped me every time. I owe my life on a number of occasions to this hospital.

As for service in overseas public hospitals being better, I do not believe it. Firstly most overseas medics and ambulances will not pick you up off the ground if one does not have the money or insurance papers on their person or another person to guarantee payment.

I think a lot of New Zealanders have forgotten that our public health service is free of charge.

If people do not like the service they get, buy health insurance and go private.

John Smale
Rotorua

Questions over Lakefront

How could a fresh business case for the Lakefront Redevelopment impact positively on all in our community?

Modify the value proposition so that it promotes the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of our whole community, as part of a new overall business strategy needed by council to comply with the amended Local Government Act.

Solve the problem of fragmented development of the lakefront, CBD, museum, and civic and events centres by integrating multiple legitimate interests through open public policy making and investment.

Define the target markets as locals and tourists. Develop attractive choices and improve services using demographic and market research. Encourage entrepreneurialism and voluntarism with infrastructure and service development to win economic, social, environmental and intercultural dividends.

Focus sales and marketing by businesses and council on the needs of the twin target audiences through the Council's CCO; Rotorua Economic Development Ltd.

Publish a council-approved project plan for the lakefront with milestones, delivery team responsibilities and objectives, funding, and a budget that forecasts income and expenditure, returns and benefits that justify public investment, and success criteria for evaluation and reporting that include the numbers achieved in a balanced budget.

This approach could compress costs by staying onshore and upgrading the current walkway - combining it with the rerouted CBD cycleway. This would avoid health and safety risks, lower maintenance bills and eliminate lakebed rentals. Encouraging storytelling around our history of interculturalism could mobilise voluntary contributions. Savings could be switched into reopening the museum and civic centre.

Reynold Macpherson
Rotorua

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