Thursday, October 01, 2015

Not Our Problem - fascinating novel takes us back to health reforms of the early 1990s.

NOT OUR PROBLEM
Ian Cowan

Christchurch radiologist Ian Cowan’s fascinating novel takes us back to the health reforms of the early 1990s. New Zealand’s public healthcare system was falling into turmoil as the government tried to convert public hospitals into competing independent businesses, dedicated to operating at a profit.

‘Not Our Problem’ tells the story of surgical trainee Stephen Cassidy. He is working long hours at a New Zealand hospital and suffering from burn out, exams are looming and he has become so difficult to live with that his girlfriend Zoe has left him.

Cassidy decides to take a year off to regain his sanity and try to win Zoe back. He gets a job in hospital management, expecting to help the organisation run better and leave work at 5.00pm every evening.


But it’s 1992 and the health reforms are in full swing. Cassidy battles with the managers as he sees relentless funding cuts affecting staff and patients. His expert advice is consistently rejected and Zoe leaves, perhaps forever. It’s time for Cassidy to take matters into his own hands.

About the author
Ian Cowan was born in England but became a New Zealander when he was 10. Since 1984 he has worked as a consultant radiologist at Christchurch Hospital, and he watched the ‘health reforms’ from close up. More recently he has spent time teaching X-ray interpretation in developing countries, including Uganda, Rwanda and the South Pacific. He believes that New Zealand’s culture is in danger of being eroded by political policies that favour wealth creation over inclusiveness and fairness, and that we all need to be alert to this before it’s too late.

Release Date: 8 October 2015
Rrp $39.99    www.iancowan.nz  

The launch of ‘Not Our Problem’ at The George Hotel, Christchurch on Thursday 8 October will also honour the 1996 Christchurch Hospitals’ Medical Staff Association Executive for their persistence and courage. ‘We owe them a huge debt, and we need to ensure that this mistake is never repeated’ says Ian Cowan. 

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