GALLAGHER’S ATTACKS A NEW LOW FROM A DESPERATE MINISTER
In Estimates hearing today the Health Minister, Katy Gallagher showed her callous and unsympathetic attitude to patient’s concerns, after they were so frustrated they felt they had no choice but to take their complaints to the media, Jeremy Hanson, Shadow Health Minister said today.
“It was astounding to hear how dismissive the Health Minister was with complaints that were made by patients, who had been so frustrated by a lack of action from the Minister’s department that they felt the only way to get action was to speak in public. Many of them bravely did so out of concern for other patients who might face the same treatment,” Mr Hanson said.
“We have seen many examples of patients finding themselves in a desperate situations feeling they had little support from Ms Gallagher’s department. There have been stories about patients forced to seek important treatment interstate, long waits for essential testing, communications breakdowns and accusations of bullying and intimidation with the department. There have been deaths, there have been miscarriages in hospital toilets, there have been bills sent to babies that have passed away, there have been patients told to terminate healthy babies. The list is as heartbreaking as it is extensive – there have been over 1,000 complaints last year alone.
“Now, Ms Gallagher has the gall to insult these patients by claiming their stories are being ‘solicited.’
“The truth is, many of these patients and staff did contact the Minister or the Department but remained unsatisfied with the response they received.
“In desperation, they turned to other sources, including the media.
“While Ms Gallagher attacks her doctors and insults her patients I will continue to listen, and I will continue to expose the dreadful treatment these patients have received. I make absolutely no apologies for that.
‘Ms Gallagher’s attacks are a new low in gutter politics. They are offensive and demeaning, not to me, but to the patients she is failing everyday,” said Mr Hanson.
19 May 2010
