A delay in getting on to the waiting list for publicly funded cataract eye surgery has frustrated a Dunedin social worker.
Jen Olsen (56) said her optometrist referred her to Dunedin Hospital for surgery to correct the cataracts in both of her eyes last July, but she had been placed on the waiting list for the surgery only in the past two weeks.
She still had sufficient eyesight to drive a car but now could only read large-print text with glasses, Mrs Olsen said. She could no longer read the newspaper, she said.
Her cataracts meant she was badly affected by glare.
The diminished quality of her eyesight had had a ‘‘serious impact’’ on her daily life and it was frustrating that it had not yet been resolved under the public health care system, she said.
‘‘It’s a real nuisance having to deal with poor eyesight, knowing that it could be addressed very easily.’’
The Southern District Health Board disclosed in November last year that 30 eye patients had suffered a degree of permanent sight loss from appointment delays in 2015-16.
More than 4600 patients were overdue for eye appointments. SDHB chief executive Chris Fleming said that number had fallen to 3700 at the end of January.
Mrs Olsen is a member of the Public Service Association and attended Sunday’s Health Underfunding Roadshow organised by the ‘‘Yes We Care’’ organisation.
The group includes members from the PSA, Council of Trade Unions, Unite union, E tu, Action Station and other organisations lobbying the Government to increase state funding of health care.
The CTU has estimated that there is a short fall of $1.85 billion in state funding of health care.
This was calculated as the increase needed in the 2017-18 budget to return state funding to 2009-10 levels as a proportion of gross domestic product.
CTU economist Bill Rosenberg said Treasury’s vote health appropriation in 2010 comprised 6.28% of GDP that year and was forecast to be 5.91% of GDP for 2016-17.
The 2009-10 level of spending was chosen as a baseline because it was the first budget controlled by the National-led government, Dr Rosenberg said.
The Health Underfunding Roadshow is travelling around New Zealand until the end of this month.
The Star was unable to obtain comment from the Southern District Health Board before publication deadline.
JOSHUA.RIDDIFORD@thestar.co.nz
