Selling The Artificial Limb Service Would Give Amputees More Choice And Quality Care
' Reports of amputees in pain for months, stuck with ill-fitting prosthetics, and a service unresponsive to their needs show just how badly the Artificial Limb Service is failing New Zealanders,' says Todd Stephenson.
'According to prosthetist and orthotist Lizzie Carey, ACC provides funding for fewer than 1% of amputees to go to a provider other than the Artificial Limb Service, locking out competition. It's no wonder ALS provides such a terrible service when there is no competition and no incentive for it to improve.
'Some are giving up on walking altogether. No private provider could get away with such poor service. It's heartbreaking and shows why more choice and competition are urgently needed.
'Selling the ALS would open up real choice for amputees. The Government can still fund artificial limbs so no one misses out, but patients should be free to choose the provider that suits them best.
'More choice means prosthetics better tailored to individual needs – more comfortable, more functional, and better suited to individual lifestyles like sports or outdoor work. It also lets amputees benefit from the latest innovations and technology.
'Private providers would be forced to respond to patients' needs and concerns, because if they didn't, people would simply go elsewhere. But with a government monopoly, amputees are stuck with no other option.
'This is part of a wider problem. The Government owns too many things it doesn't need to. It should focus on funding healthcare, not running businesses, and free up capital to invest in frontline services.
'The role of government is to ensure access to care, not to crowd out private providers who can deliver better outcomes.'
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