The Director-General of Health says he’s focused on doing the 'best possible job'’ as criticism of his ministry ramps up, writes political editor Jo Moir
In the past week both the health minister and respected Māori leader, Tā Mark Solomon, have taken a swing at the Ministry of Health.
On Thursday Newsroom reported Health Minister Andrew Little’s frustrations with both the ministry and district health boards.
“We’ve put so much extra funding into the system since we’ve been in Government and the same pressures that were evident three years ago are evident now.
“So, what I’m saying is how can we possibly have pumped in billions of extra dollars, and it not appear to have made a difference?’’
On mental health, an area the Government has been under pressure on, Little told Newsroom it was ridiculous how little progress had been made.
“The one thing I really find extraordinarily frustrating is the commitments we made for rebuilds or significant upgrades of facilities and we’re still trying to get to a point of starting construction.’’
Asked if he was happy with the level of information he received from the Ministry of Health to do his job, Little didn’t mince his words.
“No, no - actually it’s a real struggle to get stuff.’’
On Sunday Tā (Sir) Mark Solomon, the former deputy chair of the Canterbury District Health Board let rip at the ministry.
“Some might call it the Ministry of Health, I call it the Ministry of Incompetence,’’ he told TVNZ.
Tā Mark said he had never faced anything like the interactions he had with the ministry during his time on the DHB, describing it as “shameful’’.
The former Ngāi Tahu leader told TVNZ he didn’t see things improving at the ministry because the same people are there.
While many of his issues over the way former chief executive David Meates was treated were with the former Director-General Chai Chuah – Tā Mark told RNZ in an interview late last year that the campaign against Meates had continued under Doctor Ashley Bloomfield as well.
Newsroom has made repeated requests for an interview with Bloomfield so he could respond to criticisms from both Tā Mark and Little, but all were declined.
At his weekly media conference with Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins on Wednesday, Newsroom put the allegations to Bloomfield.
“My response is that I’m very focused on doing the best job I can in this role, and I know my team are as well - across all the work we are responsible for,’’ he told Newsroom.
He said he met regularly with Little and responded to any issues as they arose.
Asked if it was a fair criticism that the Ministry of Health made it difficult for Little to do his job, Bloomfield referred to his earlier comment that he and his team were doing the “best possible job’’.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday that what Little was trying to say was that “the Ministry of Health themselves from time to time have some difficulty getting information from DHBs’’.
“And that’s been one of the many issues that we believe we’ll be able to resolve through the health reforms and that will be a very positive development,’’ Ardern said.
Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins was health minister for a brief period last year in the lead-up to the election before Little took over in November.
He told Newsroom he completely disagreed with Tā Mark’s characterisation of the ministry as being incompetent.
“I think the Ministry of Health has done an incredible job of keeping New Zealand safe from Covid-19, there is a lot of complexity there.’’
