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| Eric Shinseki summoned to White House after report | Eric Shinseki summoned to White House after report |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Embattled US Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki has been summoned to the White House amid growing calls for his resignation. | Embattled US Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki has been summoned to the White House amid growing calls for his resignation. |
| President Barack Obama said on Friday he would have "a serious conversation" about whether Mr Shinseki was able to fix Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals. | President Barack Obama said on Friday he would have "a serious conversation" about whether Mr Shinseki was able to fix Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals. |
| A recent report revealed nationwide systemic problems with veterans' care including delays and falsified records. | A recent report revealed nationwide systemic problems with veterans' care including delays and falsified records. |
| On Friday Mr Shinseki said such problems were "totally unacceptable". | On Friday Mr Shinseki said such problems were "totally unacceptable". |
| "I can't explain the lack of integrity," he told a homeless veterans group in a speech. "I will not defend it, because it is not defensible." | "I can't explain the lack of integrity," he told a homeless veterans group in a speech. "I will not defend it, because it is not defensible." |
| The retired four-star general, who was himself wounded in Vietnam, said he would sack senior officials at a Phoenix healthcare facility where administrators falsified records to hide a lengthy backlog of veterans awaiting care. | The retired four-star general, who was himself wounded in Vietnam, said he would sack senior officials at a Phoenix healthcare facility where administrators falsified records to hide a lengthy backlog of veterans awaiting care. |
| But he has come under growing pressure to resign from members of Congress from both parties and at least one major veterans group after reports that potentially dozens of veterans died while waiting for care. | But he has come under growing pressure to resign from members of Congress from both parties and at least one major veterans group after reports that potentially dozens of veterans died while waiting for care. |
| Mr Obama met Mr Shinseki in the Oval Office for an "update on the situation" on Friday morning. He is expected to make a statement to the news media about 11:15 local time (15:15 GMT). | |
| The US veterans health system serves about nine million former US military service members. | The US veterans health system serves about nine million former US military service members. |
| Its resources have been strained by the ageing population of Korean and Vietnam War veterans as well as the large influx of wounded Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. | Its resources have been strained by the ageing population of Korean and Vietnam War veterans as well as the large influx of wounded Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. |
| A inspector general's report released on Wednesday found military veterans at an Arizona hospital waited an average of 115 days for a first appointment. | A inspector general's report released on Wednesday found military veterans at an Arizona hospital waited an average of 115 days for a first appointment. |
| But the Phoenix hospital initially reported to the agency an average wait time of only 24 days, the VA inspector general reported. | But the Phoenix hospital initially reported to the agency an average wait time of only 24 days, the VA inspector general reported. |
| It also said at least 1,700 veterans were not even on waiting lists because they had not been properly registered. | It also said at least 1,700 veterans were not even on waiting lists because they had not been properly registered. |
| "We have substantiated that significant delays in access to care negatively impacted the quality of care at this medical facility," acting inspector general Richard Griffin wrote in the report. | "We have substantiated that significant delays in access to care negatively impacted the quality of care at this medical facility," acting inspector general Richard Griffin wrote in the report. |
| President Barack Obama called the findings "deeply troubling". | President Barack Obama called the findings "deeply troubling". |