Gary Watts – Candidate Statement

Gary is an experienced advocate for the disability and mental health sectors. Since 1991, Gary has pioneered then helped develop consumer participation in the Canterbury mental health sector. Gary has also helped support patients as they have been moved back into the community with de-institutionalisation as they faced accommodation and quality of life issues - often without adequate funding.

Gary is one of five candidates standing for Health Cuts Hurt, a patient lobby group. We all know that health cuts never heal. Health funding cuts lead to the wrong sort of cuts to waiting lists, to Hospital land sales, industrial disharmony and eventually to overcrowded Emergency Departments. So when the Ministry decreed health funding cuts for Canterbury over the last three years, our team protested for change.

Now Gary asks you to let our team heal the health of Canterbury.

Gary is a consumer advocate in the health sector.