Dropped off waiting lists

1,800 Wellingtonians (or around 1.8 percent of the local population) are being dropped from specialist waiting lists.

Waiting lists have been with us for a long time. The situation has now deteriorated to having waiting lists to get on waiting lists.

Back in 1970 the Medical Association of New Zealand warned that medical graduates working abroad would not return to New Zealand because of the government's attitude to doctor pay and working conditions.



Not much chance of them returning now either.

The antagonism between doctors and the government is a permanent feature of New Zealand's public health system. It looks to be escalating.