Southerners Get Behind Dunedin Hospital Petition
Continuing to support the Dunedin Hospital rebuild and then lobbying for regional facilities still made sense to Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark.
Invercargill, Queenstown and Dunstan hospitals all needed expansion, in the south they were 40 to 60 beds short, there were only 17 to accommodate Queenstown and a further 24 for Central Otago in Clyde.
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Mayor Clark said Invercargill also needed two more theatres, but supporting Dunedin Hospital as a regional facility was the first priority ahead of other smaller hospitals in the South.
The campaign to fight for Dunedin Hospital has now also been backed by the Invercargill City Council, but other Southern Mayors were last week not keen on a regional petition, around the opposition to the Government’s rethink of its plans.
The ICC is encouraging people to sign the They Save, We Pay online petition and make submissions urging the Government to equip Dunedin’s new hospital to provide essential healthcare services.
Even better, send Minister of Health Shane Reti a postcard with a 250-word message.
https://www.theysavewepay.nz/send-the-ministers-this-postcard
Not only does Dunedin Hospital provide backup for emergencies in Southland, when demand has reached capacity in the south, patients can be transferred north, and they also have access to more specialised care.
Clark and fellow Cr Lesley Soper are realistic in thinking the extra funding proposed to be cut from the Dunedin Hospital overspend will most likely head north to more deprived areas with high populations.
There is also more and more talk about the private sector getting involved in health care - Queenstown in particular was looking likely as a future tourist base for surgeries.
Southland Hospital lodged its own case with Health New Zealand in 2023 due to the shortage of theatres and an emergency department extension.
This was also as a result of cost cutting in the past when the upgrade was completed.
Penny Simmonds Inverargiil MP and minister said in an opinion piece, published by whatsoninvers.nz "There has been considerable discussion in the South about the proposed revisions to the new Dunedin hospital plans. I want local people to know that I am very aware of health issues in the South and understand the community’s concerns about securing a positive future for the region’s tertiary hospital in Dunedin.
I am deeply committed to advocating for the people of Southland and will continue to do all I can to secure the best possible health services for our community"