Health Minister David Cunliffe is set for a gruelling week in Parliament as National puts a series of headline-grabbing health issues at the top of its political agenda.
Mr Cunliffe, who is being backed by Prime Minister Helen Clark after a hectic fortnight in the portfolio, is inline for a barrage of questions today when the House resumes after a one-week recess.
It will be the first opportunity for political parties to directly question Mr Cunliffe about his decision to sack the entire Hawkes Bay District Health Board, and there is no shortage of other sensitive issues he could be examined on - such as botched sterilisations by a surgeon in Wanganui, the ongoing debate about workforce shortages in the sector, and the release of details of mistakes made in hospitals.
Mr Cunliffe has held the senior portfolio since last October when he was promoted in the Cabinet reshuffle. Yesterday Helen Clark said she was happy with the way the New Lynn MP was performing.
She suggested people should keep the issues that had arisen recently in perspective.
"I've been a Minister of Health, and I know you can go through periods when the headlines are less than edifying," she said.
"But of course day in, day out, some fantastic things are happening in the health system as well."
Helen Clark suggested that "shenanigans here or there" and the high level of transparency shown in the release last month of details of mistakes in hospitals should not detract from that.
"Our record for the public health system, compared with other countries that we admire and respect like Australia and the United Kingdom, is a very very good record," the Prime Minister said.
"I think we need to keep all this in perspective."
She said Mr Cunliffe had fronted up to issues and handled them adroitly.
One of those issues, the sacking of the Hawkes Bay health bosses, has provoked a strong reaction in the province and Mr Cunliffe's decision is set to be challenged legally by a group of five local councils and territorial authorities.
The move followed internal tension at the board, and Helen Clark said she supported Mr Cunliffe's decision.
