Role Funding:Fresh calls are being made for the Government to urgently admit fault and properly fund the upgrade of ageing health IT systems, after a major outage left hospitals across Auckland and Northland relying on paper, whiteboards, and phone calls to deliver care. The outage, which began late yesterday, prevented staff from accessing critical patient information and severely disrupted communication within hospitals and across the region. Public Service Association National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons says the situation was entirely avoidable and places responsibility squarely with the Government. The PSA is now calling on the Government to immediately review funding for health digital services, acknowledge the impact of cutting digital expertise, and commit to properly resourcing IT system upgrades and ongoing maintenance. “It’s time for Health Minister Simeon Brown to stop making excuses and start properly funding the digital infrastructure our hospitals desperately need,” Fitzsimons said.