Southern Health Crisis Could Fall Victim To Govt Reforms

South’s health crisis could be lost to Govt health reforms – Sapere report likely to fall on deaf ears – Simmonds

Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds fears critically needed action to improve the South’s ailing health services will not be addressed with sufficient urgency as the Government’s health reforms take precedence.

“A Clinical Needs Analysis, prepared by Sapere Research Group and presented to the Southern District Health Board today (8/6), paints a disturbing picture of the state of health services at Southland Hospital and across Invercargill, rural Southland and the Queenstown Lakes district.

“But despite the seriousness of this report, which calls for ‘immediate action,’ around some critical health issues, any action will be parked until the Government’s health reforms are implemented on July 1 and then will likely face further set-backs.

“The Southern DHB has admitted itself that while they can endorse future action around this report, any further financial decisions now rest with the Government and Health NZ.

“I have grave concerns about this new health regime, and I worry that the urgent health needs of the people of the South, as outlined in this report, will now fall through the cracks and the critically needed action will be stalled.

“In fact, there already appears to be a lack of will, with the Acting Deputy Director-General for Health NZ’s Health Infrastructure Unit, John Hazeldine, recently saying the unit ‘wasn’t actively considering improving physical space at Southland Hospital,’ with the Southern region already receiving significant investment in the form of the new Dunedin hospital.

“Clearly this reflects a limited understanding of the critical state of the South’s health services, with the new Dunedin hospital doing little to relieve the South’s chronic staff shortages, blown out gynaecological waitlists, midwife shortages, massive orthopaedic surgery delays, and hospital bed shortages.

“I find this response extremely concerning particularly when the independent consultants behind this report state that health services in the Southern region are stuck ‘in crisis mode’ – surely this should be a priority for Health NZ.

“Unfortunately the disestablishment of the Southern DHB will see our local voice lost to a huge organisation managing health services, including hospital and specialist services and primary and community care, right across the country – what hope do we have?

“This report is confronting and highly worrying – and ought to be of major concern to all Southlanders – particularly if the Government’s new Health Authority doesn’t see this crisis as a priority.”