New minister congratulated, but with a reminder

Photo: Peter McIntosh
Otago University vice-chancellor Grant Robertson. Photo: Peter McIntosh
University of Otago vice-chancellor Grant Robertson has taken aim at a proposed Waikato medical school at the same time as welcoming new Minister of Health Simeon Brown.

Mr Robertson congratulated Mr Brown on his appointment and also had some clear messages for him.

One was the need to train up more doctors.

"Success in health is critical to our success as a nation and the University of Otago plays a vital role in the health sector, including training a large number of our future doctors," Mr Robertson said.

"There is widespread agreement that New Zealand needs to train more doctors.

"Minister Brown now has the opportunity to make this happen in a cost-effective and proven way."

Mr Robertson said a Cabinet reshuffle provided an opportunity for ministers to take a fresh look at issues.

He raised doubts a Waikato medical school would be cost-effective to set up and run.

"We know from the material that's been released under the Official Information Act that almost all of the government agencies involved don't support the idea, and so I think now is the chance for the minister to have another look and also to look at the alternatives for training more doctors."

The Otago and Auckland medical schools could provide what the government needed, he said.

"There is no need to build an expensive additional medical school at a time when resources in the health and education sector are limited."

The University of Otago remained ready and willing to train more doctors if the government bumped up a restriction on the numbers the university was allowed to train and provided the necessary funding.

"To accommodate new students, we would largely reconfigure use of existing facilities."

Mr Robertson said a quality tertiary-level hospital was required to provide the level of medical education that Otago had done in the past and would need to do in the future.

"So that's why we've previously spoken out and members of the university medical community have spoken out about the importance of Dunedin maintaining the services that were intended for it at the [new] hospital."

Mr Robertson also congratulated former health minister Shane Reti on his new Cabinet responsibilities — universities, and science and innovation.

"Universities have an important role in shaping the future economic and social development of our country, and we will be looking to work with the minister to support and enhance that work."

grant.miller@odt.co.nz

 

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