Released by Labour health spokespoerson Ruth DysonThursday 16 December 2010, 2:59PM
Released by Labour health spokespoerson Ruth Dyson
Health cuts since coming into office now over
150
Health Cuts since coming to office - by month
February 2009
• Pies back on the menu in schools. Tolley
reverses healthy food guidelines without consultation NZ Herald
6/2/09
March 2009
• Taranaki DHB has publicly signalled that its
hospital is preparing for cut backs. "Health Services get the
knife" Taranaki Daily New 10/03/09
• Breast Bus cancelled Westport women would have
to travel for 90 minutes and Karamea women double that
distance. U turn because of political pressure The
News-Westport 23/3/09
• Southland and Otago DHBs have confirmed they
are cutting home support services to reduce costs. The Boards were
looking to make savings of up to $10 million by reducing home
support services for elderly. Southland Times 22/04/09
May 2009
• Cut anti obesity, oral health and mental
health targets. Ministerial release 8/05/09
• National have taken $2.3 million out of cancer
control. Budget 2009
• Slashed the diabetes 'let's get checked'
budget by $4.8 million each year. Budget 2009
• Cut $3 million from the cardiovascular disease
budget. Budget 2009
• Mental Health services have also had their
funding cut. Budget 2009
June 2009
• Whanganui DHB has said it will be closing
hospital wards on weekends to save money on nursing overtime. "
Hospital looks to close wards at weekends" Wanganui Chronicle 26
/06/09
• Post budget Treasury documents show that
primary health and health promotion services that target specific
health conditions have had funding cuts of $37 million this
year.
• Tony Ryall this year signed off on a 6.5
percent increase in GP fees the largest increase since fees came
in. NZ Herald 03/06/09
• The Fruit in Schools programme which currently
provides 100,000 children with fresh fruit each day is under
threat. Herald on Sunday 14/06/09
• Mid Central DHB makes cuts $10 million cuts
Manawatu Standard
July 2009
• Timaru Hospital to cut services. In the coming
year the emergency department will attempt to cut patient numbers
by around 5000, and radiology services will be reduced by 10 per
cent, which would potentially affect 2400 examinations. The
emergency department cut will mean more work for GPs as patients
are directed back to primary care. SCDHB has also signalled
that it is looking to reduce the number of patients using radiology
services. The DHB also confirmed that it would be axing up to 200
elective operations per year because of a cut in Government
funding. Timaru Herald 30/07/09
August 2009
• Cuts to elderly care in South Canterbury The
Timaru Herald 30/07/09
• Sport fit coordinator jobs at risk as Govt
redirects money from anti obesity programmes
• Senior Doctors question Ministerial Health
Review.ASMS release 16/08/09
• Waikato DHB has frozen clinician jobs as well
as admin.The Board agreed to a $20 million savings drive for the
2009/10 financial year in the hope of achieving at least a $10
million surplus. The exact list of targeted activities had not been
made public because some of them may not be valid savings targets,
Mr Climo said. Big cuts ahead at Waikato District Health Board
Waikato Times 26/08/09
• Dunstan Hospital reduces community physio and
disability home support Southland Times 17/08/09
• WDHB would like to cut at least $200,000 out
of the WCPHO contract. This equates to 42% of the
discretionary money that the WDHB fund.The board asked why the WDHB
hadn't told the WCPHO during the Clinical Services Action Plan
process. The cuts have come out of the blue. The board were
very unhappy with the process.There has yet to be any discussion
regarding the devolution of services from primary to
secondary.Wairarapa Community PHO Board Meeting Minutes
27/08/09
• Dannevirke outpatients clinic cut Manawatu
Standard
• Counties Manukau has cut funding to external
contractors. The cuts include two Maori health programmes and
Auckland University's $200,000-a-year evaluations of the board's
five-year, $10 million scheme to reduce the incidence of type 2
diabetes. NZ Herald
September 2009
• $2million cut in mental health services Nelson
Mental health funding on chopping block Nelson Mail
• Waitakere Hospital's emergency department is
only open between 8am and 6.30pm and free A& E vouchers to
White Cross are axed Sept 2009
October 2009
• TDH services at risk A total shift in the way
healthcare was delivered was necessary to maintain frontline
services and elective surgeries as well as reach $2 million in
savings by the end of the financial year, the TDH board heard at
their monthly meeting."The public needs to know so things don't
come as a shock to them when we are cutting back on some services,"
said Board member Craig Bauld. Tairawhiti DHB announces it will
stop surgery for an unprecedented 6 week period over Christmas and
New Year to save money Gisborne Herald 2/11/09
• Home support cuts for elderly in
Canterbury. 'Old man offers to wash his shower with his foot'
ChCh Press
November 2009
• ACC refuses to pay for wheelchair for Taranaki
amputee who is told to go and ask the local DHB for funding
Taranaki Daily News
• A total of 12.5 nursing positions chopped
across the Palmerston North hospital's main surgical, medical and
child health wards, neonates, coronary care, intensive care and the
high dependency unit. Manawatu Standard
• Auckland DHB Board papers reveal Board may
have to cut as much as 5%-10%. ADHB may have $150m less. Planning
and Funding officer says when adjusted for inflation "the funding
for next year is like to be less than this year" NZ Herald Big
Health Cuts on the way
• Rural maternity stays for the chop The time
new mums spend at rural maternity homes in Southland could be
slashed as the Southland District Health Board proposes to cut
funding. A document leaked to The Southland Times shows the
Southland District Health Board is proposing to cut funding by 30
per cent to the Winton Maternity Centre, run by the Central
Southland Hospital Trust. Southland 04/11/09
December 2009
• Survey shows spending down on GP visits,
surgery and sports. Research commissioned by Southern Cross
shows Results found the number of people who visited their GP when
they felt unwell fell from 64 per cent in 2008 to 56 per cent this
year. Also, the number of people actively participating in sports,
going to the gym, and dieting for weight loss decreased
significantly. NZ Herald 03/12/09
• Senior doctors voted overwhelmingly last
Friday to focus on achieving a pathway to competitive terms and
conditions of employment in our national collective agreement
negotiations with district health boards next year in order to help
overcome the detrimental effects of our medical workforce
crisis ASMS release 06 /12/09
• Release of Cabinet Paper on ACC legislation
confirms no analysis done bon impact of Injury Prevention
Rehabilitation and Compensation Bill changes for the Health system
or the social welfare system - cost shifting surgery onto
health.
• Hospital turning away patients. Central
Medical GP Steve Dawson said 49 of his practice clients received
letters saying specialists at Oamaru Hospital could not see them
last week.The only options we have is to re-refer them, suggest
they use the private health system, or attempt to treat them
ourselves. Oamaru Mail 15/12/09
January 2010
• Hospitals propose preferential treatment for
those who can pay NZ Herald 25/01/10
• Cut up to 50 docs - hospital's secret report A
secret razor gang of health board managers, Health Ministry
officials and external consultants advises cutting up to 50 doctors
and outsourcing some specialties to solve Capital and Coast's
financial woes. A draft of a confidential report leaked to The
Dominion Post shows Capital and Coast's deficit is set to balloon
to $48.4 million by 2009-10 unless urgent action is taken to
address the underlying causes. Dominion Post 01/01/09
• Mary Bourke DHB Board Member candid on ACC
squeeze "So effectively, madam chair, what we are talking about
here is that ACC is trying to cut down on its costs by shoving its
responsibilities on to someone else?" Yes, came the answer.
Taranaki Daily News 27/01/10
• Assessment cuts help for elderly. More than
1200 Canterbury elderly have had their home-help hours cut or
reduced since a new assessment service began five months ago. ChCh
Press 27/01/10
• Phone assessments result in less aid At least
40 people between 80-90 have hours cut (Kapiti) Dominion Post
30/01/10
• Dispute halts kids' B4 school checks Free
before-school health checks for 4-year-olds in the Western Bay will
not be operated by the region's primary health organisation from
next month following a funding dispute. The impact of failing to
continue the checks would mean the health of children starting
school would be compromised, Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health
Organisation has warned. Bay of Plenty Times 30/01/10
• Iwi lead charge against hospital mortuary
closure. Health board chief operating officer Phillip Balmer last
month said the mortuary was being closed because it cost too much -
about $2.5 million - to upgrade. Bay of Plenty Times 13/01/10
February 2010
• Nephew takes on fight over home help cuts -
The nephew of an 86-year-old stroke victim has battled to regain
her home help after the service was slashed over the phone.
Wainuiomata reports 35 cuts and loss of service viability Dominion
Post 8/02/10
• Wellington Hospital trims 49 management roles.
Doctors and nurses who hold management roles are among nearly 50
staff at Wellington Hospital waiting to hear if they have lost
their jobs. Ian Powell, director of the Association of
Salaried Medical Specialists, the senior doctors' union, said that,
although no clinical staff were being cut, he was worried the
changes could make their jobs harder. "Most of the time those
so-called back-room positions actually help clinicians to do their
work." Dominion Post 8/02/10
• North health bodies face axe Te Tai Tokerau
chief executive Rose Lightfoot said PHOs were vital in improving
access to health services in Northland, but it may be that there
were too many. Ms Lightfoot said PHOs were already pretty careful
with their money, costs and efficiencies. "But we hear the message
that's coming from the minister. Northland is also different,
because it's very large and spread out and the minister needs to
consider our special needs." Northern Advocate 10/02/10
• Work Disrupted: Two weeks of industrial action
by specialists starts tomorrow. Hawke's Bay Hospital is bracing for
two weeks without radiology services with the union for 40 local
staff members announcing they will strike in protest of a wage
freeze. Hawkes Bay 25/02/10
March 2010
• By Elspeth McLean and Eileen Goodwin on Tue,
Otago Daily Times 16/03/10 Otago faces a "massive wave" of elderly
needing rest-home space that might not be available, if
cost-cutting forces rest-homes out of business, New Zealand Aged
Care Association board member Malcolm Hendry says.
• Proposal to cut 24 beds from Horowhenua Health
Centre DHB Board Minutes
• 10 surgical beds closed at MidCentral DHB DHB
Board Minutes
• Tangimoana residents fume over nurse cuts
Clinic hours have been cut from 20 to eight hours, while opening
days dropped from six to two a week, following a Primary Health
Organisation (PHO) review. Manawatu Standard 17/03/2010
• Proposal to limit SuperGold Card travel
entitlements. For elderly these free public transport entitlements
make it easier for them to get to hospital appointments.
• Health cuts 'hitting the front line' Some of
Canterbury's front-line health services are being axed, a
Christchurch health manager says. Union and Community Health
Service manager Genelle Gordon said the service was recently forced
to close its central city clinic and make two staff redundant. It
was expecting further cuts to its services. ChCh Press
23/03/10
• Christchurch's free youth health drop-in
centre will close next month amid fears some of the city's most
vulnerable young people will fall outside the system. The 198
Youth Health Centre provides free doctors, nurses and counsellors
for under-25s. Declining Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB)
funding meant the centre could no longer operate. Centre
director Sue Bagshaw said yesterday that despite the "disgusting"
lack of funding, she would reopen a similar service as soon as
possible. ChCh Press 06/03/10
• Managers' jobs face cut in DHB shake-up
Cash-strapped Wairarapa District Health Board plans to axe the
equivalent of about 10 management jobs in a bid to slash costs
while throwing more money toward frontline clinicians. ''The cost
of service delivery is outstripping the funding we receive.''
Wairarapa Times Age 27/03/10
• Funding cuts will hurt Men for Change. I would
like to express my distress at the decision by Tairawhiti District
Health (TDH) to cut funding for Men for Change. Men for Change is
an organisation that helps men break the cycle of violence, walk
away, have time out and learn new skills to cope with what is
causing the violence. Gisborne Herald 31/03/10
• TURANGA Health says it will lose 15 staff and
$400,000 in revenue after Tairawhiti District Health Board chose an
Auckland organisation to work with mental health patients in the
community.The move is a "kick in the guts" to Turanga Health, who
had provided mental health services in Gisborne for 13 years, says
chief executive Reweti Ropiha."We eat and breathe local. We are not
going anywhere over the next 10 to 15 years, our loyalties are to
Gisborne . . . we are bitterly disappointed with the board's
decision," he said. Gisborne Herald 24/03/10
• Mental health services under the knife in bid
to save millions The sudden closure of a highly regarded recovery
centre for vulnerable teens and young adults in Auckland has been
blamed on funding uncertainty, although critics maintain the
decision to close the Mind Matters Trust house in Titirangi was a
panic response.In Wellington, the Capital and Coast District Health
Board has signalled cuts for mental health services in the new
financial year in a bid to trim $10 million from its community
spending. Agencies are considering severe staffing and service
cuts.In Christchurch, the planned closure of the 198 Youth Centre
on April 30 has sparked protests and marches. The centre provides
general and mental health services. In Gisborne, the Tairawhiti
District Health Board's choice of an Auckland contractor to provide
general mental health services means funding cuts and job losses
for the former contractor, which will now provide Maori services.NZ
Herald 27/03/10
• Sandy Simpson one of NZ's foremost forensic
psychiatrists says cuts to mental health funding will have a
dramatic impact on front-line services.Dr Simpson says the cuts to
the mental health service's administration have meant frontline
staff have had to pick up that work as well as their own. RNZ
30/03/10
April 2010
• Peter McGeorge Mental Health Commission told
Radio New Zealand he had anecdotal evidence DHBs are breaking into
mental health ring fenced money and that a number of important
community-based mental health providers have had to close due to
lack of funding. RNZ 06/04/10
• Under 6s fee at Kenepuru puts young lives at
risk Paediatrician Nikki Blair asks CCDHB to remove fees.
Board will report back in June. Starship doctors agree
Dominion Post 07/04110
• Northland DHB is warning people of delays in
its emergency department as well as the postponement of some
elective surgery and outpatient appointments following notice of
industrial action by medical radiation technologists
(MRTs).Northland District Health Board Media release 06/04/10
• Board looks at further health cuts.The
Wellington district health board has cut contracts to medication
management and cardiovascular risk assessments and has reduced
funding for respiratory education. Kapiti Observer 09/04/10
• $20m cuts will hit patients. Patients will
lose frontline services in a plan to slash $10 million from primary
health services in Wellington and Kapiti, primary health groups
say. Capital & Coast District Health Board has provided The
Dominion Post with details of primary health contracts it plans to
cut or review this year and next year in order to save $10m. It is
also planning to cut its hospital budget by $17m. The board, which
has a $857m budget, wants to find savings of $27m as part of a plan
to get rid of its deficit within three years. Moves include
cancelling contracts to teach patients how to self-manage long-term
conditions, cutting a refugee health service and ending some
funding that provided longer doctor appointments for
cardio-vascular patients. The board is also reviewing funding for
court-based alcohol and drug counselling, immunisation and youth
sexual health services. Dominion Post 12/0410
• Auckland Regional Public Health sheds 12
staff The Auckland Regional Public Health Service is losing 7
per cent of its funding and 12 per cent of its fulltime-equivalent
staffing. The Public Health Association's national executive
officer, Gay Keating, said similar cuts to public health units were
occurring around the country. They would lead to more people having
costly hospital stays for conditions that could have been managed
in the community. The Health Ministry has already cut its public
health budget more than 10 per cent, to around $60 million.
Auckland is likely to lose the family violence reduction scheme and
the oral health promotion scheme. Auckland Public Health will shut
its Henderson and Manukau workplaces, and function exclusively from
its headquarters at the previous National Women's Hospital premises
in Greenlane. RNZ news 12/0410
• Senior Doctors union Executive Director gives
speech in Canberra listing ways clinicians have not been listening
to under National. He says community and elderly were(so far)
bearing the brunt of health cuts, said the next steps in primary
care had not been thought out ASMS 15/04/10
• Taranaki sources, who did not wish to be
named, yesterday said grave fears existed that this was already
happening. Mr Coleman's spokesman said this was incorrect.
"The Government has not said that DHBs can tap into mental health
budgets. The Government has actually told DHBs that the ring fence
remains in place." The news delighted Mental Health Foundation
chief executive Judi Clements, of Auckland. "There was concern that
it might be happening though it was not official," Dr Clements
said. Taranaki Daily News 16/04/10
• Retention of NZ Doctors Under Threat by Higher
Course Fees The New Zealand Medical Association is calling on the
Government to reconsider its stated intention to raise course fees
for medical students saying that such a move will adversely affect
New Zealand's ability to retain doctors in New Zealand NZMA
19/04/10
• Looming staff cuts cause angst. Looming cuts
to staff and services in Taranaki's public hospitals are cause for
serious concern, a representative for health workers says. Public
Service Association organiser Peter Ireland said yesterday that any
suggestion of cuts to staff was worrying. "There is extreme concern
about what is happening overall in the health sector," he
said. Taranaki Daily News 20/04/10
• Elderly and ailing people in Murchison may be
forced to end their lives away from home after speculation the NM
District Health Board intends to close aged-care beds in Murchison
Hospital. Nelson Mail 23/04/10
• Visiting Prof Philip James WHO - obesity
expert - criticises government approach. NZ's obesity controls had
fallen behind the rest of the Western world. He was astonished that
the National Government ditched the rule allowing only healthy
foods to be sold routinely in schools. He said New Zealand
was going against the world trend, even among conservative
governments. Its policy amounted to a subsidy for bad foods and
taught children that eating them was normal. NZ Herald
26/04/10
• Dying patients, people needing intensive
rehabilitation and the elderly will all be hit by proposed health
cuts in the Manawatu. The DHB confirmed it plans to make cuts and
changes to its services that will save $2.7 million a year. Axing
the overnight district nursing service, which provides care to
patients, many of whom are terminally ill, in their homes. Dominion
Post 22/04/10
• Meals on Wheels cut backs for elderly Janferie
Bryce-Chapman says the meals cost $5.13 each and older people
living alone are at risk of malnutrition. North Shore
Times 27/04/10
• Health deficit tops $8 million. DHB Committee
member Nic Boheimer said there were moral and ethical questions
about reducing any services which were by-products of health. "Pain
is a by-product of hospitals. "Having no pain management
service would be like having a toilet with no toilet paper."
Taranaki Daily News 28/04/10
• Loss of a free and confidential sexual health
service that is available to everyone in the MidCentral Health
district would be disturbing, says Women's Health Collective member
Jean Hera. "I don't understand how primary health is going to pick
up all these clients." Man. Std 28/04/10
• Little hospital help for eye patients. People
needing certain eye operations at Nelson Hospital will have to get
worse or go private, due to Nelson Marlborough District Health
Board limiting eye surgery for all but urgent cases The Nelson Mail
29/04/2010
• Govt funding cuts have forced the axing of an
advertising campaign targeting problem gamblers as the number of
people seeking help soars. the Problem Gambling Foundation halted a
$55,000 radio campaign - urging troubled gamblers to seek help -
after just 6 months when the ministry cut $275,000 from its annual
grant. ChCh Press 30/04/10
• Concern and uncertainty surrounds one of
Christchurch's health services with the respite care home, Newell
House, closing its doors next month is run by the Oxford Terrace
Baptist Church and provides respite care for mentally ill women and
their children. TVNZ 30/04/10
May 2010
• Cuts fears cloud celebration. The Palmerston
North Diabetes Lifestyle Centre marked its 30th anniversary this
week under the threat of service cuts. The Centre has established
itself as a centre of excellence, recognised nationally and
internationally and upon which specialist diabetes services in
other centres have been modelled," Dr Dixon said. Another speaker
sounding a warning not to tamper with diabetes services was Paul
Drury, medical director of the New Zealand Society for the Study of
Diabetes. The incidence of diabetes is growing by about 8 per
cent a year across New Zealand, and resources would have to be put
into dealing with the "tsunami" of diabetes that was affecting
communities and hitting people younger. Man Stnd
1/05/10
• District face health cuts Norma Evans of Grey
Power -"these health cuts are just going to snow ball and I'm
worried more cuts will come. This is just the start" "Some of
our older people can't reach their toes to cut their toenails and
they are charged $60 if they go to a podiatrist" I had a friend who
had skin cancer and had been seen locally by a Dr in Oct but her
appointment on the waiting list had fallen through the cracks - I'm
getting more and more accounts of this sort of thing happening"
Dannevirkes Glennis McDonald recently attended Grey Power
conference in ChCh and says they have 80,000 membership. "Our
membership is on the rise because elder people are concerned about
health issues" Dannevirke News 03/05/10
• Public Health cuts worry ProCare NZ Doctor
7/05/10
• Surgeon slates MP's health claims.
Surgeon Clive Solomon disputes elective surgery figures used by
Simon Power in his newsletter "Almost anything can be
considered an elective operation and by Mr Power's figures we have
no idea whether an elective case represents a hip replacement, a
liver transplant, a hernia repair or removal of a pimple or a
splinter," Wanganui Chronicle 5/5/10
• The Public Health Association is deeply
disappointed by the announcement that 13 jobs are to go from the
Environmental Health Group at ESR because cuts to essential
services will result. Environmental Health Group staff help control
outbreaks of the flu, meningitis and other illnesses that
communicate from one person to another. Media statement
11/05/10
• Regional Public Health will shed 9.3 full-time
equivalent staff most of them working in health promotion roles if
a proposed major re-structure is adopted. RPH is part of the Hutt
Valley District Health Board but has roles in chronic disease, the
medical officer of health role, health promotion, emergency
preparedness and disease control for the Wellington region. It has
144.1 (FTE (full-time equivalent) staff. Hutt News
11/05/10
• Addiction clinic to close after Auckland DHBs
withdraw contracts. The Care NZ clinic in Otahuhu, part of a
national network, has operated for nearly 40 years and serves
several hundred clients. It has been funded under a contract with
the Hutt Valley DHB, and was being "devolved" to the Auckland
boards. But a source said yesterday that the clinic would close in
early August because the Auckland, Waitemata and Counties Manukau
DHBs would not renew its annual grant of around $250,000 NZ
Herald 14/05/10
• Father despairs at delays in 'urgent'
surgery.Twelve-year-old Kirstie Wake has waited more than two years
for surgery to treat her scoliosis during which time her spine has
curved to 100 degrees. The father of a 12-year-old girl - confined
to a wheelchair and unable to attend school because of a series of
cancelled operations - has hit out at the "systematic breakdown" of
the health system. "I've gone past frustration to complete
despair," her father, Gary, said. Auckland District Health Board
insisted yesterday that the delays were necessary, and said Kirstie
would get her operation. The Dominion Post
15/05/10
• Harsh home help cut hurts sick pensioner Vicky
Drew's home help was cut from 90 minutes a week to 60 minutes a
fortnight, several months after a telephone assessment by her local
health board. (Kapiti)The 85-year-old has two artificial knees,
needs a hip replacement and has two vertebrae out of place, one of
which is fractured NZ Herald 17/05/10
• Health needs extra $555m, CTU says An
additional $555 million is needed in Thursday's Budget to keep the
health system afloat, a new study shows. In the 2009 Budget,
district health board (DHB) funding increased by about $750m. That
was expected to be slashed in half this year, "There is a serious
risk that using such a blunt fiscal instrument will force DHBs to
adopt shock-therapy measures, with the victims being patients," he
said. ChCh Press 17/05/10
• Paraparaumu College - has had a weekly visit
from a nurse, then it was cut back to fortnightly, and now there
will be no visits from 1 July. Previously funded by Hutt
Valley DHB. Email to Ruth Dyson 20/05/10
• Health cuts 'too deep' - community Nurses
carried a coffin down Levin's main street yesterday, in defence of
Star4, the Horowhenua Health Centre's assessment, treatment, and
rehabilitation ward. Despite plans to cut $9 million from patient
services, the MidCentral District Health Board has approved
spending more than $1.4m on new computer software. Manawatu
Standard 20/05/10
• Reprieve won for medical centre Horowhenua has
won a $1.2 million reprieve for its health centre, and 10 medical
and nursing jobs are safe for now following a MidCentral Health
backdown. Manawatu Standard 22/05/10
• Gemini Nursing Services Ltd is a nurse-led
practice providing nursing services to low income people in
Tauranga and Te Puke. The PHO has recently advised them that
their funding has been cut. The practice has been running for
3.5 years and last year saw over 4,800 patients. The practice
employs 4 nurses (2 FTE and 2 part-time). They have a weekly
clinic with the local Turning Point Trust (health checks for
patients with mental illness, see and a weekly clinic in Te Puke
used by seasonal workers and those who cannot afford to see their
GP. Email to Ruth Dyson 24/05/10
• Wainuiomata is losing 4 Doctors on 1st July.
There will only be two doctors left and they are not going to be
replaced. Email to Ruth Dyson 24/05/10
• Mental health funding cut The Nelson
Marlborough District Health Board will slash $1.51 million from
mental health services in the district. The cuts are being made
partly as a result of the board's Rutherford Initiative, aimed at
making savings in community and hospital health services. They
would address a forecast $1.8m mental health overspend, the board
said in a statement. Key people in affected organisations said they
were reeling from this body blow to mental health services.
However, they felt unable to speak on the record while contract
negotiations with the board were underway. "It is an indicator of
people's insecurity that they won't be quoted," said one
representative. The cuts were slammed as hitting a vulnerable group
lacking a strong voice. Nelson Mail The Marlborough
Express 25/05/10 News
• Wellington Hospital staff sent home to save
cash Elective surgery and other services at Wellington Hospital
will be cut for a week while staff are sent on leave to save
money.The Resident Doctors Association fears patient safety will be
compromised but Capital & Coast District Health Board says
there will be little effect on patients Dominion Post
27/05/10
• Plans to close Kenepuru overnight emergency
services between 11pm and 8am to save money RNZ News
27/05/10
• Daughter pays nurse to help at hospital.
Golden Bay resident Victoria Davis spent $1000 hiring a nurse to
care for her mother in Nelson Hospital after she says staff told
her to hire outside help because they were too overworked to look
after her. Ms Davis is also angered that a Nelson rest home missed
the severe bladder infection that landed her mother, Josephine
Fargo, 87, in hospital with septicaemia when the infection spread
to her blood. Dominion Post 29/05/10
• Hospital may axe staff to cut deficit Staff
cuts are looming at the Whanganui District Health Board as the
health service battles to live within a constricting budget.
Wanganui Chronicle 31/05/10
June 2010
• Plea over medical training Christchurch
Hospital surgeons are refining their skills among buckets of
rainwater while nurses are training in store rooms, says the head
of Canterbury's clinical skills unit. ChCh Press
01/05/10
• Golden Bay's mental health service, Te Whare
Mahana, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), will need money from
charities if it is avoid cutting services. Nelson Marlborough
District Health Board is to slash $1.5 million from mental health
services across the district in the next financial year and NGOs
will be hardest hit - they receive 25 per cent of the total mental
health funding but suffered 40 per cent of the budget cuts. Te
Whare Mahana manager Jo Johnson described the regional cuts as
"shocking and "a big blow". She said mental health was already
underfunded. The Nelson Mail 1/05/10
• South Link Health has shed its general manager
position as it continues to "cut the cloth to fit" its
circumstances. NZ Doctor 02/06/10
• Managers face axe in health shakeup The heads
of senior managers are on the chopping block at Nelson Marlborough
District Health Board as rising costs and demands on health
services force a restructure of its strategic leadership team. The
sweeping review will mean that all members of the current team will
have to apply for new positions, with only chief executive John
Peters' job safe.The Nelson Mail 04/06/10
• Home help slashed by 1000 hours a week
Southland people have lost more than 1000 hours a week of home help
and will almost certainly lose even more as the Southern District
Health Board seeks to slash millions of dollars from its budget.
The board has cut a total of 1493 hours a week of home help
services across Southland and Otago with the southern region
bearing the brunt of the cuts to date with 1091 hours lost to 682
people Southland Times 04/06/10
• Another hospital ordeal Nelson Hospital nurses
told her they were too busy to care for her husband is urging
people to speak out about working conditions in the hospital's
medical ward. In September last year Nelson man William Evans, 85,
was in hospital after suffering his seventh stroke. Mr Evans uses
incontinence products, and his wife, Liz Evans, said a nurse told
her she was too busy to shower him. Mrs Evans, who usually cares
fulltime for her husband at home, showered him at the hospital
herself. "I said `Is this legal?' She said `No, but it's on your
head if there's an accident'." The Nelson
Mail 05/06/10
• Stay quiet on health cuts, staff warned
Midcentral Health staff have been told not to bother patients about
proposed health service cuts. said chief executive Murray Georgel
in a staff newsletter about the financial recovery plan and its
goal of finding $10 million in savings. "These are challenging
times for us as an organisation," he said. "Please continue to
provide timely, efficient and safe patient care while any questions
or feedback about our financial recovery programme can be directed
to me, to general managers, or to directors within MidCentral
Health."Man Std 05/06/10
• Hospital needs 'business focus' Lakes District
Hospital was "permanently in financial difficulty" and some sort of
public-private partnership would improve its viability, Deputy
Prime Minister, Finance Minister and local MP Bill English said in
Queenstown yesterday. Southland Times 05/06/10
• Board finding 'not surprising' In February, Ms
Davis paid a private nurse $1000 to come into Nelson Hospital to
care for her mother, 87-year-old Josephine Fargo, who was in
hospital with septicaemia. "We're looking at an investigation of a
body by a body," Ms Davis said. "If a nurse had come out and
admitted she did say that, there would be consequences. Whether any
of the staff feel free to speak candidly about what happened will
be dependent on how they think it will affect their working
environment." Health Cuts under National
Health Cuts since coming to office - by month
1
Health Cuts since coming to office - by region
26
Health Cuts since coming to office - by month
February 2009
• Pies back on the menu in schools. Tolley
reverses healthy food guidelines without consultation NZ Herald
6/2/09
March 2009
• Taranaki DHB has publicly signalled that its
hospital is preparing for cut backs. "Health Services get the
knife" Taranaki Daily New 10/03/09
• Breast Bus cancelled Westport women would have
to travel for 90 minutes and Karamea women double that
distance. U turn because of political pressure The
News-Westport 23/3/09
• Southland and Otago DHBs have confirmed they
are cutting home support services to reduce costs. The Boards were
looking to make savings of up to $10 million by reducing home
support services for elderly. Southland Times 22/04/09
May 2009
• Cut anti obesity, oral health and mental
health targets. Ministerial release 8/05/09
• National have taken $2.3 million out of cancer
control. Budget 2009
• Slashed the diabetes 'let's get checked'
budget by $4.8 million each year. Budget 2009
• Cut $3 million from the cardiovascular disease
budget. Budget 2009
• Mental Health services have also had their
funding cut. Budget 2009
June 2009
• Whanganui DHB has said it will be closing
hospital wards on weekends to save money on nursing overtime. "
Hospital looks to close wards at weekends" Wanganui Chronicle 26
/06/09
• Post budget Treasury documents show that
primary health and health promotion services that target specific
health conditions have had funding cuts of $37 million this
year.
• Tony Ryall this year signed off on a 6.5
percent increase in GP fees the largest increase since fees came
in. NZ Herald 03/06/09
• The Fruit in Schools programme which currently
provides 100,000 children with fresh fruit each day is under
threat. Herald on Sunday 14/06/09
• Mid Central DHB makes cuts $10 million cuts
Manawatu Standard
July 2009
• Timaru Hospital to cut services. In the coming
year the emergency department will attempt to cut patient numbers
by around 5000, and radiology services will be reduced by 10 per
cent, which would potentially affect 2400 examinations. The
emergency department cut will mean more work for GPs as patients
are directed back to primary care. SCDHB has also signalled
that it is looking to reduce the number of patients using radiology
services. The DHB also confirmed that it would be axing up to 200
elective operations per year because of a cut in Government
funding. Timaru Herald 30/07/09
August 2009
• Cuts to elderly care in South Canterbury The
Timaru Herald 30/07/09
• Sport fit coordinator jobs at risk as Govt
redirects money from anti obesity programmes
• Senior Doctors question Ministerial Health
Review.ASMS release 16/08/09
• Waikato DHB has frozen clinician jobs as well
as admin.The Board agreed to a $20 million savings drive for the
2009/10 financial year in the hope of achieving at least a $10
million surplus. The exact list of targeted activities had not been
made public because some of them may not be valid savings targets,
Mr Climo said. Big cuts ahead at Waikato District Health Board
Waikato Times 26/08/09
• Dunstan Hospital reduces community physio and
disability home support Southland Times 17/08/09
• WDHB would like to cut at least $200,000 out
of the WCPHO contract. This equates to 42% of the
discretionary money that the WDHB fund.The board asked why the WDHB
hadn't told the WCPHO during the Clinical Services Action Plan
process. The cuts have come out of the blue. The board were
very unhappy with the process.There has yet to be any discussion
regarding the devolution of services from primary to
secondary.Wairarapa Community PHO Board Meeting Minutes
27/08/09
• Dannevirke outpatients clinic cut Manawatu
Standard
• Counties Manukau has cut funding to external
contractors. The cuts include two Maori health programmes and
Auckland University's $200,000-a-year evaluations of the board's
five-year, $10 million scheme to reduce the incidence of type 2
diabetes. NZ Herald
September 2009
• $2million cut in mental health services Nelson
Mental health funding on chopping block Nelson Mail
• Waitakere Hospital's emergency department is
only open between 8am and 6.30pm and free A& E vouchers to
White Cross are axed Sept 2009
October 2009
• TDH services at risk A total shift in the way
healthcare was delivered was necessary to maintain frontline
services and elective surgeries as well as reach $2 million in
savings by the end of the financial year, the TDH board heard at
their monthly meeting."The public needs to know so things don't
come as a shock to them when we are cutting back on some services,"
said Board member Craig Bauld. Tairawhiti DHB announces it will
stop surgery for an unprecedented 6 week period over Christmas and
New Year to save money Gisborne Herald 2/11/09
• Home support cuts for elderly in
Canterbury. 'Old man offers to wash his shower with his foot'
ChCh Press
November 2009
• ACC refuses to pay for wheelchair for Taranaki
amputee who is told to go and ask the local DHB for funding
Taranaki Daily News
• A total of 12.5 nursing positions chopped
across the Palmerston North hospital's main surgical, medical and
child health wards, neonates, coronary care, intensive care and the
high dependency unit. Manawatu Standard
• Auckland DHB Board papers reveal Board may
have to cut as much as 5%-10%. ADHB may have $150m less. Planning
and Funding officer says when adjusted for inflation "the funding
for next year is like to be less than this year" NZ Herald Big
Health Cuts on the way
• Rural maternity stays for the chop The time
new mums spend at rural maternity homes in Southland could be
slashed as the Southland District Health Board proposes to cut
funding. A document leaked to The Southland Times shows the
Southland District Health Board is proposing to cut funding by 30
per cent to the Winton Maternity Centre, run by the Central
Southland Hospital Trust. Southland 04/11/09
December 2009
• Survey shows spending down on GP visits,
surgery and sports. Research commissioned by Southern Cross
shows Results found the number of people who visited their GP when
they felt unwell fell from 64 per cent in 2008 to 56 per cent this
year. Also, the number of people actively participating in sports,
going to the gym, and dieting for weight loss decreased
significantly. NZ Herald 03/12/09
• Senior doctors voted overwhelmingly last
Friday to focus on achieving a pathway to competitive terms and
conditions of employment in our national collective agreement
negotiations with district health boards next year in order to help
overcome the detrimental effects of our medical workforce
crisis ASMS release 06 /12/09
• Release of Cabinet Paper on ACC legislation
confirms no analysis done bon impact of Injury Prevention
Rehabilitation and Compensation Bill changes for the Health system
or the social welfare system - cost shifting surgery onto
health.
• Hospital turning away patients. Central
Medical GP Steve Dawson said 49 of his practice clients received
letters saying specialists at Oamaru Hospital could not see them
last week.The only options we have is to re-refer them, suggest
they use the private health system, or attempt to treat them
ourselves. Oamaru Mail 15/12/09
January 2010
• Hospitals propose preferential treatment for
those who can pay NZ Herald 25/01/10
• Cut up to 50 docs - hospital's secret report A
secret razor gang of health board managers, Health Ministry
officials and external consultants advises cutting up to 50 doctors
and outsourcing some specialties to solve Capital and Coast's
financial woes. A draft of a confidential report leaked to The
Dominion Post shows Capital and Coast's deficit is set to balloon
to $48.4 million by 2009-10 unless urgent action is taken to
address the underlying causes. Dominion Post 01/01/09
• Mary Bourke DHB Board Member candid on ACC
squeeze "So effectively, madam chair, what we are talking about
here is that ACC is trying to cut down on its costs by shoving its
responsibilities on to someone else?" Yes, came the answer.
Taranaki Daily News 27/01/10
• Assessment cuts help for elderly. More than
1200 Canterbury elderly have had their home-help hours cut or
reduced since a new assessment service began five months ago. ChCh
Press 27/01/10
• Phone assessments result in less aid At least
40 people between 80-90 have hours cut (Kapiti) Dominion Post
30/01/10
• Dispute halts kids' B4 school checks Free
before-school health checks for 4-year-olds in the Western Bay will
not be operated by the region's primary health organisation from
next month following a funding dispute. The impact of failing to
continue the checks would mean the health of children starting
school would be compromised, Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health
Organisation has warned. Bay of Plenty Times 30/01/10
• Iwi lead charge against hospital mortuary
closure. Health board chief operating officer Phillip Balmer last
month said the mortuary was being closed because it cost too much -
about $2.5 million - to upgrade. Bay of Plenty Times 13/01/10
February 2010
• Nephew takes on fight over home help cuts -
The nephew of an 86-year-old stroke victim has battled to regain
her home help after the service was slashed over the phone.
Wainuiomata reports 35 cuts and loss of service viability Dominion
Post 8/02/10
• Wellington Hospital trims 49 management roles.
Doctors and nurses who hold management roles are among nearly 50
staff at Wellington Hospital waiting to hear if they have lost
their jobs. Ian Powell, director of the Association of
Salaried Medical Specialists, the senior doctors' union, said that,
although no clinical staff were being cut, he was worried the
changes could make their jobs harder. "Most of the time those
so-called back-room positions actually help clinicians to do their
work." Dominion Post 8/02/10
• North health bodies face axe Te Tai Tokerau
chief executive Rose Lightfoot said PHOs were vital in improving
access to health services in Northland, but it may be that there
were too many. Ms Lightfoot said PHOs were already pretty careful
with their money, costs and efficiencies. "But we hear the message
that's coming from the minister. Northland is also different,
because it's very large and spread out and the minister needs to
consider our special needs." Northern Advocate 10/02/10
• Work Disrupted: Two weeks of industrial action
by specialists starts tomorrow. Hawke's Bay Hospital is bracing for
two weeks without radiology services with the union for 40 local
staff members announcing they will strike in protest of a wage
freeze. Hawkes Bay 25/02/10
March 2010
• By Elspeth McLean and Eileen Goodwin on Tue,
Otago Daily Times 16/03/10 Otago faces a "massive wave" of elderly
needing rest-home space that might not be available, if
cost-cutting forces rest-homes out of business, New Zealand Aged
Care Association board member Malcolm Hendry says.
• Proposal to cut 24 beds from Horowhenua Health
Centre DHB Board Minutes
• 10 surgical beds closed at MidCentral DHB DHB
Board Minutes
• Tangimoana residents fume over nurse cuts
Clinic hours have been cut from 20 to eight hours, while opening
days dropped from six to two a week, following a Primary Health
Organisation (PHO) review. Manawatu Standard 17/03/2010
• Proposal to limit SuperGold Card travel
entitlements. For elderly these free public transport entitlements
make it easier for them to get to hospital appointments.
• Health cuts 'hitting the front line' Some of
Canterbury's front-line health services are being axed, a
Christchurch health manager says. Union and Community Health
Service manager Genelle Gordon said the service was recently forced
to close its central city clinic and make two staff redundant. It
was expecting further cuts to its services. ChCh Press
23/03/10
• Christchurch's free youth health drop-in
centre will close next month amid fears some of the city's most
vulnerable young people will fall outside the system. The 198
Youth Health Centre provides free doctors, nurses and counsellors
for under-25s. Declining Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB)
funding meant the centre could no longer operate. Centre
director Sue Bagshaw said yesterday that despite the "disgusting"
lack of funding, she would reopen a similar service as soon as
possible. ChCh Press 06/03/10
• Managers' jobs face cut in DHB shake-up
Cash-strapped Wairarapa District Health Board plans to axe the
equivalent of about 10 management jobs in a bid to slash costs
while throwing more money toward frontline clinicians. ''The cost
of service delivery is outstripping the funding we receive.''
Wairarapa Times Age 27/03/10
• Funding cuts will hurt Men for Change. I would
like to express my distress at the decision by Tairawhiti District
Health (TDH) to cut funding for Men for Change. Men for Change is
an organisation that helps men break the cycle of violence, walk
away, have time out and learn new skills to cope with what is
causing the violence. Gisborne Herald 31/03/10
• TURANGA Health says it will lose 15 staff and
$400,000 in revenue after Tairawhiti District Health Board chose an
Auckland organisation to work with mental health patients in the
community.The move is a "kick in the guts" to Turanga Health, who
had provided mental health services in Gisborne for 13 years, says
chief executive Reweti Ropiha."We eat and breathe local. We are not
going anywhere over the next 10 to 15 years, our loyalties are to
Gisborne . . . we are bitterly disappointed with the board's
decision," he said. Gisborne Herald 24/03/10
• Mental health services under the knife in bid
to save millions The sudden closure of a highly regarded recovery
centre for vulnerable teens and young adults in Auckland has been
blamed on funding uncertainty, although critics maintain the
decision to close the Mind Matters Trust house in Titirangi was a
panic response.In Wellington, the Capital and Coast District Health
Board has signalled cuts for mental health services in the new
financial year in a bid to trim $10 million from its community
spending. Agencies are considering severe staffing and service
cuts.In Christchurch, the planned closure of the 198 Youth Centre
on April 30 has sparked protests and marches. The centre provides
general and mental health services. In Gisborne, the Tairawhiti
District Health Board's choice of an Auckland contractor to provide
general mental health services means funding cuts and job losses
for the former contractor, which will now provide Maori services.NZ
Herald 27/03/10
• Sandy Simpson one of NZ's foremost forensic
psychiatrists says cuts to mental health funding will have a
dramatic impact on front-line services.Dr Simpson says the cuts to
the mental health service's administration have meant frontline
staff have had to pick up that work as well as their own. RNZ
30/03/10
April 2010
• Peter McGeorge Mental Health Commission told
Radio New Zealand he had anecdotal evidence DHBs are breaking into
mental health ring fenced money and that a number of important
community-based mental health providers have had to close due to
lack of funding. RNZ 06/04/10
• Under 6s fee at Kenepuru puts young lives at
risk Paediatrician Nikki Blair asks CCDHB to remove fees.
Board will report back in June. Starship doctors agree
Dominion Post 07/04110
• Northland DHB is warning people of delays in
its emergency department as well as the postponement of some
elective surgery and outpatient appointments following notice of
industrial action by medical radiation technologists
(MRTs).Northland District Health Board Media release 06/04/10
• Board looks at further health cuts.The
Wellington district health board has cut contracts to medication
management and cardiovascular risk assessments and has reduced
funding for respiratory education. Kapiti Observer 09/04/10
• $20m cuts will hit patients. Patients will
lose frontline services in a plan to slash $10 million from primary
health services in Wellington and Kapiti, primary health groups
say. Capital & Coast District Health Board has provided The
Dominion Post with details of primary health contracts it plans to
cut or review this year and next year in order to save $10m. It is
also planning to cut its hospital budget by $17m. The board, which
has a $857m budget, wants to find savings of $27m as part of a plan
to get rid of its deficit within three years. Moves include
cancelling contracts to teach patients how to self-manage long-term
conditions, cutting a refugee health service and ending some
funding that provided longer doctor appointments for
cardio-vascular patients. The board is also reviewing funding for
court-based alcohol and drug counselling, immunisation and youth
sexual health services. Dominion Post 12/0410
• Auckland Regional Public Health sheds 12
staff The Auckland Regional Public Health Service is losing 7
per cent of its funding and 12 per cent of its fulltime-equivalent
staffing. The Public Health Association's national executive
officer, Gay Keating, said similar cuts to public health units were
occurring around the country. They would lead to more people having
costly hospital stays for conditions that could have been managed
in the community. The Health Ministry has already cut its public
health budget more than 10 per cent, to around $60 million.
Auckland is likely to lose the family violence reduction scheme and
the oral health promotion scheme. Auckland Public Health will shut
its Henderson and Manukau workplaces, and function exclusively from
its headquarters at the previous National Women's Hospital premises
in Greenlane. RNZ news 12/0410
• Senior Doctors union Executive Director gives
speech in Canberra listing ways clinicians have not been listening
to under National. He says community and elderly were(so far)
bearing the brunt of health cuts, said the next steps in primary
care had not been thought out ASMS 15/04/10
• Taranaki sources, who did not wish to be
named, yesterday said grave fears existed that this was already
happening. Mr Coleman's spokesman said this was incorrect.
"The Government has not said that DHBs can tap into mental health
budgets. The Government has actually told DHBs that the ring fence
remains in place." The news delighted Mental Health Foundation
chief executive Judi Clements, of Auckland. "There was concern that
it might be happening though it was not official," Dr Clements
said. Taranaki Daily News 16/04/10
• Retention of NZ Doctors Under Threat by Higher
Course Fees The New Zealand Medical Association is calling on the
Government to reconsider its stated intention to raise course fees
for medical students saying that such a move will adversely affect
New Zealand's ability to retain doctors in New Zealand NZMA
19/04/10
• Looming staff cuts cause angst. Looming cuts
to staff and services in Taranaki's public hospitals are cause for
serious concern, a representative for health workers says. Public
Service Association organiser Peter Ireland said yesterday that any
suggestion of cuts to staff was worrying. "There is extreme concern
about what is happening overall in the health sector," he
said. Taranaki Daily News 20/04/10
• Elderly and ailing people in Murchison may be
forced to end their lives away from home after speculation the NM
District Health Board intends to close aged-care beds in Murchison
Hospital. Nelson Mail 23/04/10
• Visiting Prof Philip James WHO - obesity
expert - criticises government approach. NZ's obesity controls had
fallen behind the rest of the Western world. He was astonished that
the National Government ditched the rule allowing only healthy
foods to be sold routinely in schools. He said New Zealand
was going against the world trend, even among conservative
governments. Its policy amounted to a subsidy for bad foods and
taught children that eating them was normal. NZ Herald
26/04/10
• Dying patients, people needing intensive
rehabilitation and the elderly will all be hit by proposed health
cuts in the Manawatu. The DHB confirmed it plans to make cuts and
changes to its services that will save $2.7 million a year. Axing
the overnight district nursing service, which provides care to
patients, many of whom are terminally ill, in their homes. Dominion
Post 22/04/10
• Meals on Wheels cut backs for elderly Janferie
Bryce-Chapman says the meals cost $5.13 each and older people
living alone are at risk of malnutrition. North Shore Times
27/04/10
• Health deficit tops $8 million. DHB Committee
member Nic Boheimer said there were moral and ethical questions
about reducing any services which were by-products of health. "Pain
is a by-product of hospitals. "Having no pain management
service would be like having a toilet with no toilet paper."
Taranaki Daily News 28/04/10
• Loss of a free and confidential sexual health
service that is available to everyone in the MidCentral Health
district would be disturbing, says Women's Health Collective member
Jean Hera. "I don't understand how primary health is going to pick
up all these clients." Man. Std 28/04/10
• Little hospital help for eye patients. People
needing certain eye operations at Nelson Hospital will have to get
worse or go private, due to Nelson Marlborough District Health
Board limiting eye surgery for all but urgent cases The Nelson Mail
29/04/2010
• Govt funding cuts have forced the axing of an
advertising campaign targeting problem gamblers as the number of
people seeking help soars. the Problem Gambling Foundation halted a
$55,000 radio campaign - urging troubled gamblers to seek help -
after just 6 months when the ministry cut $275,000 from its annual
grant. ChCh Press 30/04/10
• Concern and uncertainty surrounds one of
Christchurch's health services with the respite care home, Newell
House, closing its doors next month is run by the Oxford Terrace
Baptist Church and provides respite care for mentally ill women and
their children. TVNZ 30/04/10
May 2010
• Cuts fears cloud celebration. The Palmerston
North Diabetes Lifestyle Centre marked its 30th anniversary this
week under the threat of service cuts. The Centre has established
itself as a centre of excellence, recognised nationally and
internationally and upon which specialist diabetes services in
other centres have been modelled," Dr Dixon said. Another speaker
sounding a warning not to tamper with diabetes services was Paul
Drury, medical director of the New Zealand Society for the Study of
Diabetes. The incidence of diabetes is growing by about 8 per
cent a year across New Zealand, and resources would have to be put
into dealing with the "tsunami" of diabetes that was affecting
communities and hitting people younger. Man Stnd 1/05/10
• District face health cuts Norma Evans of Grey
Power -"these health cuts are just going to snow ball and I'm
worried more cuts will come. This is just the start" "Some of
our older people can't reach their toes to cut their toenails and
they are charged $60 if they go to a podiatrist" I had a friend who
had skin cancer and had been seen locally by a Dr in Oct but her
appointment on the waiting list had fallen through the cracks - I'm
getting more and more accounts of this sort of thing happening"
Dannevirkes Glennis McDonald recently attended Grey Power
conference in ChCh and says they have 80,000 membership. "Our
membership is on the rise because elder people are concerned about
health issues" Dannevirke News 03/05/10
• Public Health cuts worry ProCare NZ Doctor
7/05/10
• Surgeon slates MP's health claims.
Surgeon Clive Solomon disputes elective surgery figures used by
Simon Power in his newsletter "Almost anything can be
considered an elective operation and by Mr Power's figures we have
no idea whether an elective case represents a hip replacement, a
liver transplant, a hernia repair or removal of a pimple or a
splinter," Wanganui Chronicle 5/5/10
• The Public Health Association is deeply
disappointed by the announcement that 13 jobs are to go from the
Environmental Health Group at ESR because cuts to essential
services will result. Environmental Health Group staff help control
outbreaks of the flu, meningitis and other illnesses that
communicate from one person to another. Media statement
11/05/10
• Regional Public Health will shed 9.3 full-time
equivalent staff most of them working in health promotion roles if
a proposed major re-structure is adopted. RPH is part of the Hutt
Valley District Health Board but has roles in chronic disease, the
medical officer of health role, health promotion, emergency
preparedness and disease control for the Wellington region. It has
144.1 (FTE (full-time equivalent) staff. Hutt News 11/05/10
• Addiction clinic to close after Auckland DHBs
withdraw contracts. The Care NZ clinic in Otahuhu, part of a
national network, has operated for nearly 40 years and serves
several hundred clients. It has been funded under a contract with
the Hutt Valley DHB, and was being "devolved" to the Auckland
boards. But a source said yesterday that the clinic would close in
early August because the Auckland, Waitemata and Counties Manukau
DHBs would not renew its annual grant of around $250,000 NZ Herald
14/05/10
• Father despairs at delays in 'urgent'
surgery.Twelve-year-old Kirstie Wake has waited more than two years
for surgery to treat her scoliosis during which time her spine has
curved to 100 degrees. The father of a 12-year-old girl - confined
to a wheelchair and unable to attend school because of a series of
cancelled operations - has hit out at the "systematic breakdown" of
the health system. "I've gone past frustration to complete
despair," her father, Gary, said. Auckland District Health Board
insisted yesterday that the delays were necessary, and said Kirstie
would get her operation. The Dominion Post 15/05/10
• Harsh home help cut hurts sick pensioner Vicky
Drew's home help was cut from 90 minutes a week to 60 minutes a
fortnight, several months after a telephone assessment by her local
health board. (Kapiti)The 85-year-old has two artificial knees,
needs a hip replacement and has two vertebrae out of place, one of
which is fractured NZ Herald 17/05/10
• Health needs extra $555m, CTU says An
additional $555 million is needed in Thursday's Budget to keep the
health system afloat, a new study shows. In the 2009 Budget,
district health board (DHB) funding increased by about $750m. That
was expected to be slashed in half this year, "There is a serious
risk that using such a blunt fiscal instrument will force DHBs to
adopt shock-therapy measures, with the victims being patients," he
said. ChCh Press 17/05/10
• Paraparaumu College - has had a weekly visit
from a nurse, then it was cut back to fortnightly, and now there
will be no visits from 1 July. Previously funded by Hutt
Valley DHB. Email to Ruth Dyson 20/05/10
• Health cuts 'too deep' - community Nurses
carried a coffin down Levin's main street yesterday, in defence of
Star4, the Horowhenua Health Centre's assessment, treatment, and
rehabilitation ward. Despite plans to cut $9 million from patient
services, the MidCentral District Health Board has approved
spending more than $1.4m on new computer software. Manawatu
Standard 20/05/10
• Reprieve won for medical centre Horowhenua has
won a $1.2 million reprieve for its health centre, and 10 medical
and nursing jobs are safe for now following a MidCentral Health
backdown. Manawatu Standard 22/05/10
• Gemini Nursing Services Ltd is a nurse-led
practice providing nursing services to low income people in
Tauranga and Te Puke. The PHO has recently advised them that
their funding has been cut. The practice has been running for
3.5 years and last year saw over 4,800 patients. The practice
employs 4 nurses (2 FTE and 2 part-time). They have a weekly
clinic with the local Turning Point Trust (health checks for
patients with mental illness, see and a weekly clinic in Te Puke
used by seasonal workers and those who cannot afford to see their
GP. Email to Ruth Dyson 24/05/10
• Wainuiomata is losing 4 Doctors on 1st July.
There will only be two doctors left and they are not going to be
replaced. Email to Ruth Dyson 24/05/10
• Mental health funding cut The Nelson
Marlborough District Health Board will slash $1.51 million from
mental health services in the district. The cuts are being made
partly as a result of the board's Rutherford Initiative, aimed at
making savings in community and hospital health services. They
would address a forecast $1.8m mental health overspend, the board
said in a statement. Key people in affected organisations said they
were reeling from this body blow to mental health services.
However, they felt unable to speak on the record while contract
negotiations with the board were underway. "It is an indicator of
people's insecurity that they won't be quoted," said one
representative. The cuts were slammed as hitting a vulnerable group
lacking a strong voice. Nelson Mail The Marlborough Express
25/05/10 News
• Wellington Hospital staff sent home to save
cash Elective surgery and other services at Wellington Hospital
will be cut for a week while staff are sent on leave to save
money.The Resident Doctors Association fears patient safety will be
compromised but Capital & Coast District Health Board says
there will be little effect on patients Dominion Post
27/05/10
• Plans to close Kenepuru overnight emergency
services between 11pm and 8am to save money RNZ News
27/05/10
• Daughter pays nurse to help at hospital.
Golden Bay resident Victoria Davis spent $1000 hiring a nurse to
care for her mother in Nelson Hospital after she says staff told
her to hire outside help because they were too overworked to look
after her. Ms Davis is also angered that a Nelson rest home missed
the severe bladder infection that landed her mother, Josephine
Fargo, 87, in hospital with septicaemia when the infection spread
to her blood. Dominion Post 29/05/10
• Hospital may axe staff to cut deficit Staff
cuts are looming at the Whanganui District Health Board as the
health service battles to live within a constricting budget.
Wanganui Chronicle 31/05/10
June 2010
• Plea over medical training Christchurch
Hospital surgeons are refining their skills among buckets of
rainwater while nurses are training in store rooms, says the head
of Canterbury's clinical skills unit. ChCh Press 01/05/10
• Golden Bay's mental health service, Te Whare
Mahana, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), will need money from
charities if it is avoid cutting services. Nelson Marlborough
District Health Board is to slash $1.5 million from mental health
services across the district in the next financial year and NGOs
will be hardest hit - they receive 25 per cent of the total mental
health funding but suffered 40 per cent of the budget cuts. Te
Whare Mahana manager Jo Johnson described the regional cuts as
"shocking and "a big blow". She said mental health was already
underfunded. The Nelson Mail 1/05/10
• South Link Health has shed its general manager
position as it continues to "cut the cloth to fit" its
circumstances. NZ Doctor 02/06/10
• Managers face axe in health shakeup The heads
of senior managers are on the chopping block at Nelson Marlborough
District Health Board as rising costs and demands on health
services force a restructure of its strategic leadership team. The
sweeping review will mean that all members of the current team will
have to apply for new positions, with only chief executive John
Peters' job safe.The Nelson Mail 04/06/10
• Home help slashed by 1000 hours a week
Southland people have lost more than 1000 hours a week of home help
and will almost certainly lose even more as the Southern District
Health Board seeks to slash millions of dollars from its budget.
The board has cut a total of 1493 hours a week of home help
services across Southland and Otago with the southern region
bearing the brunt of the cuts to date with 1091 hours lost to 682
people Southland Times 04/06/10
• Another hospital ordeal Nelson Hospital nurses
told her they were too busy to care for her husband is urging
people to speak out about working conditions in the hospital's
medical ward. In September last year Nelson man William Evans, 85,
was in hospital after suffering his seventh stroke. Mr Evans uses
incontinence products, and his wife, Liz Evans, said a nurse told
her she was too busy to shower him. Mrs Evans, who usually cares
fulltime for her husband at home, showered him at the hospital
herself. "I said `Is this legal?' She said `No, but it's on your
head if there's an accident'." The Nelson Mail
05/06/10
• Stay quiet on health cuts, staff warned
Midcentral Health staff have been told not to bother patients about
proposed health service cuts. said chief executive Murray Georgel
in a staff newsletter about the financial recovery plan and its
goal of finding $10 million in savings. "These are challenging
times for us as an organisation," he said. "Please continue to
provide timely, efficient and safe patient care while any questions
or feedback about our financial recovery programme can be directed
to me, to general managers, or to directors within MidCentral
Health."Man Std 05/06/10
• Hospital needs 'business focus' Lakes District
Hospital was "permanently in financial difficulty" and some sort of
public-private partnership would improve its viability, Deputy
Prime Minister, Finance Minister and local MP Bill English said in
Queenstown yesterday. Southland Times 05/06/10
• Board finding 'not surprising' In February, Ms
Davis paid a private nurse $1000 to come into Nelson Hospital to
care for her mother, 87-year-old Josephine Fargo, who was in
hospital with septicaemia. "We're looking at an investigation of a
body by a body," Ms Davis said. "If a nurse had come out and
admitted she did say that, there would be consequences. Whether any
of the staff feel free to speak candidly about what happened will
be dependent on how they think it will affect their working
environment." The Nelson Mail 04/06/10
• Pressure builds against cuts About 120 people
braved bitterly cold temperatures in Palmerston North's Square to
protest MidCentral District Health Board cuts. Sixteen speakers
called for the community to put pressure on the board and the
Government to stop planned "changes" to frontline health services.
"They tell us this is not about cuts, but about change. Well, I beg
to differ," said Manawatu Stewart Centre manager Janet Webb.Man Std
10/06/2010
• Record numbers hinder ED target Waikato DHB
faces a near-impossible task of achieving the Government's six-hour
emergency department health target by the June 30 deadline. May
figures for the DHB showed a slide in the ED's ability to treat and
discharge or admit 95 per cent of patients within a six-hour time
frame. 79.8 % - a 5 per cent drop on April results where 84.9 %.
DHB acute services assistant group manager Kevin Harris said record
numbers of patients coming into the emergency departments had taken
a toll on achieving the target. And it wasn't people who should be
going to their GP first who were to blame. Waikato Times
12/06/10
• Dozens of jobs face axe DHB management is
refusing to confirm how many people will lose their jobs - from
report Safely Reducing our Spending Wanganui Chronicle
14/06/10
• Westport will have about half as many GPs as
it needs between now and the end of October, but Buller Health
Medical Centre is confident it will cope. Buller Medical has three
full-time equivalent (FTE) permanent GPs available at present:Fully
staffed, the practice needs six to eight permanent GPs.
Buller Medical is also short of nurses. It has 6.13FTE nurses,
about two fewer than it would like. The News Westport
15/06/10
• 682 Southlanders have lost home help
Government is being accused of breaching the United Nations'
charter on human rights and could face legal action over cuts to
home help for the elderly. Meetings have been held throughout the
country as part of a Labour and Green Party "investigation" into
the state of aged care but it was clearly the cuts to home help in
Southland that resulted in 200 people attending the meeting
yesterday. More than 20 people stood up and told of how they or
their relatives or friends had been cut from the system.The
Southland 15/06/10
• Hutt health group says funding cuts will hit
high needs patients A Hutt primary health organisation (PHO) with
92 per cent of patients classified as "high needs" says it's being
forced to cut frontline staff hours and/or increase fees because of
funding cuts. Piki Te Ora ki Te Awakairangi has 12,600 patients
enrolled with the Hutt Union (HUCHS) practices in Petone and
Pomare, Whai Oranga in Wainuiomata and the Pacific Health Service
in Naenae. HUCHs manager Sally Nicholl says discretionary funding
to the PHO from the Hutt Valley District Health Board is to be
halved (to about $300,000) and it's also expecting lower Govt
fundingHutt News 15/06/10
• Our story sparks 'gagging' letter A stern
letter from Hawke's Bay DHB has left PHO managers in the district
worried about speaking to the media.The confidential letter (21 May
2009), addressed to Wairoa PHO chair Ian Redshaw, demanded an
apology for Wairoa PHO manager Margie Sullivan's comments in New
Zealand Doctor (20 May 2009) concerning the DHB's, to that point,
inflexible response to questions about a $35,000 bill for mistakes
in general practice enrolment forms. Since then, Ms Sullivan says
she and other PHO managers have felt unsure what they can or cannot
talk about and almost like they can't say anything at all. Another
Hawke's Bay PHO manager, Tu Meke's Lynda Creighton, actually drew
New Zealand Doctor's attention to the letter's existence, citing it
as the reason she wouldn't be saying "anything radical".NZ Doctor
16/06/10
• Patients at a Whangarei medical centre
battling for entry to a government scheme that keeps GP fees under
$17 have started lobbying the health minister. More than 100
patients from the Bush Road Medical Centre have sent a letter
addressed to Tony Ryall saying the practice's exclusion from
the Very Low Cost Access scheme breaches their human
rights by denying equitable funding for general practice care."My
high need exists whether I stay with my practice or decide to join
a practice with high needs funding," reads the letter, written by a
practice partner.NZ Doctor 16/06/10
• Budget cuts raise cost of GP visits for poorer
patients Patients in some of the poorest parts of Lower Hutt will
pay more for doctors' visits, with funding to a local health
organisation set to be cut.The move has sparked fears that
low-income patients may stop going to their GPs, get sicker and end
up in hospital. The Hutt-based Piki te Ora Primary Health
Organisation will have $95,000 cut from its budget from July 1 -
money used to subsidise the cost of healthcare for people unable to
afford doctors' visits.Dom Post 17/06/10
• Home help cuts biting A massive reduction in
housework allowances for sick Southlanders is starting to hit home,
and senior citizens claim they are bearing the brunt of the
Government's cost cutting. Jenny and Bert Porter are typical of the
687 people who have had their domestic assistance entitlements
reduced or cut by the Southern District Health Board during the
past year.The Southland Times 18/06/10
• Cuts leave the elderly helpless Grey Power
will complain to the Human Rights Commission that health board cuts
to the elderly's home help is age discrimination. Hundreds of
pensioners who rely on help for home cleaning and groceries have
had their care reduced.The Dominion Post 19/06/10
• Doctor exodus puts pressure on training So
many New Zealand-trained medical registrars are leaving the country
that our top doctors are wondering why we train them at all. Half
of all the medical registrars in their final year of training go
overseas, according to a survey that found the lure of a pay
difference, amounting to $70,000 in Australia, for instance, was
driving the exodus. Powell said the situation was a crisis and
"generally a crisis comes a bit before a collapse". Sunday Star
20/06/10
• Reduction in activity for DHB goes ahead A
"planned reduction in activity" has gone ahead this week as the
Capital and Coast District Health Board (CCDHB) tries to save money
Some elective surgeries and non-essential support services would
not be scheduled for this week and some staff had been asked to
take annual leave, starting from today NZPA 21/06/10
• Turn 65 and look out. Grey Power put out
media statement commenting on private health insurance premium
rises for their age group in addition to: Hearing aids and
batteries no longer subsidized by ACC for industrial deafness
suffered earlier in life, Home Help cut/discontinued and Elder
Abuse in Rest Homes Grey Power media release 21/06/10
• Drug, alcohol centre loses funding St Marks
Adult Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre, in Blenheim, had a $70,000
contract with the Health Ministry to treat people with convictions.
Centre manager Lois Miller said the contract funded two beds for 12
months. Marlborough Express 24/06/10
• Anger over mother left in faeces A Masterton
woman is upset at Wellington Hospital after her mother was
allegedly left lying in her own faeces for three hours. The
65-year-old woman, who has a bowel condition, was not attended to
last Thursday afternoon despite buzzing every half an hour, her
daughter said yesterday. Wairarapa Times Age 24/06/10
• OIA request to Nelson Marlborough DHB reveals
$600,000 cut to mental health provision for 2010/2011
25/06/10
• Major reshaping for Wairoa Health body.
District likely to lose its PHO."I'm worried that decisions about
Wairoa health will not be made by Wairoa people as there are no
Wairoa people on the DHB" said Margie Sullivan Gisborne
Herald 25/06/10
• Staff cap adds to hospital pressure Lack of
money and the cap on administrative staff is putting staff under
pressure, Dunedin Hospital's chief medical officer, Richard Bunton,
says. ASMS Ian Powell and PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff
both said Mr Bunton's concerns would apply to other areas of the
country. ODT 26/06/10
• Starvation Eminent In Prime Minister's
Electorate. Government plan on withdrawing their subsidy for Meals
on Wheels in the Prime Minister's own electorate The service will
cease in September and Grey Power suspect the same will follow in
other areas shortly thereafter Grey Power 28/06/10
• SDHB members should speak out over
neurosurgery services and have the courage to back their chief
executive's bid to employ two neurosurgeons immediately, an Otago
woman with recent experience of the service says. She was critical
of the proposal to base all six neurosurgeons in a regional service
in ChCh. She was concerned there had been no public debate
over neurosurgery services around the Southern District Health
Board table and no opportunity for community input. ODT 28/06/10
• $900,000 shortfall; clinic losing 10 staff
Dunedin's Ashburn Clinic is losing nearly 10 full-time equivalent
staff, combining two inpatient wards and mothballing a hostel to
make up a $900,000 funding shortfall. During the past five years,
ACC funding for sexual-abuse inpatients dropped from $2 million to
$900,000 in the 2009-10 financial year.The clinic lost a $500,000
five-bed eating-disorder contract with the Ministry of Health,
effective from the end of this month.ODT 29/06/10
• "New Budget spending for health is welcomed
but the nursing sector is still bracing itself for service cuts and
restructuring. "NZ Nursing Review June 2010
July 2010
• Te Whai Oranga O Te Iwi Health Centre a Maori
Health Centre in Wainuiomata losing 4 doctors on 1 July email
• Government's Bonding Scheme Won't Solve Senior
Hospital Doctor Shortages Crisis Press Release by Association of
Salaried Medical Specialists 01/07/10
• A move to make GPs unavailable in Rangiora and
Kaiapoi after hours goes against the Government's health
priorities, a Canterbury DHB member says. Andrew Dickerson became
concerned after hearing news that GPs across Rangiora and Kaiapoi
will not work after 5pm on weekdays anymore and not at all on
weekends. ChCh Press 05/07/10
• GP consultations to rise with GST rise Timaru
Herald 6/07/10
• Scaled-back proposals for cuts at MidCentral
Health's Diabetes Lifestyle Centre still don't wash with Diabetes
Manawatu secretary Kathy Scott. The option of slashing the jobs of
five nurses, a dietitian and an office worker has been put
alongside a less-drastic second option that would see just one
nurse and a part-time administrator out of work. "It would mean
there would be no service when that one nurse was sick or on leave,
and to try to work without a dietitian would be no service at all."
Man Std 6/07/10
• Taihape health care on last legs Otaihape
Health is facing a budget deficit of $500,000 for the 2010-11 year
and wages are a major component. Mr Hefford said Otaihape Health
had three options - continue the status quo, agree to a cost and
funding restructure with the WDHB and staff, or quit. Whanganui
Chronicle 7/07/10
• 12 jobs cut after PHO merger Twelve management
and administration jobs have been cut from MidCentral's four
primary health organisations, saving $378,000. Manawatu,
Tararua, Horowhenua and Otaki PHOs, merged into one Central PHO at
the start of July. Man Std 10/07/10
• Budget documents reveal $10 million a year
'new' electives money announced in Budget is for rejected ACC
patients flooding the health system Ruth Dyson media release
12/07/10
• Frontline public health programmes slashed
under National: $12 million from tobacco control, $8million of
sexual health promotion and prevention programmes, $1 million from
public health alcohol and drug services, $4 million from mental
health workforce development and $1.2 million from the Like Minds
Like Mine campaign. Ruth Dyson media release 13/07/10
• Acute 24/7 surgery to go. Canterbury DHB plans
to scrap 24/7 acute surgical services from November are alarming
health professionals. A 3 month trial will start 1 August. Dr
Chris Ryan a board member but also an Ashburton GP says the loss of
anaesthetists may mean seriously ill patients may not be able to be
stabilised in the 'golden hour' before being sent to Christchurch.
Ashburton Guardian 13/07/10
• Risk of hospital unit loss 'reason to worry'
The head of the Southern District Health Board has said people
worried Dunedin Hospital might lose neurosurgical services were
"absolutely" right to be concerned. Southland Times 14/07/10
• OIA reply from Capital and Coast DHB reveals
almost $5 million cut in mental health provision for 2010/2011
15/07/10
• ELDERLY west Auckland patients are being
diverted to Takapuna and waiting up to six hours for treatment
because of bed and staff shortages at Waitakere and North Shore
hospitals. The Western Leader knows of at least two separate cases
involving a 78-year-old Titirangi man and a 70-year-old Henderson
woman this month. Western Leader 20/07/10
• Dementia patient in jail over 'three strikes'
case A 69-year-old with Parkinson's disease and mild dementia is in
Rimutaka Prison awaiting a "three strikes" offence hearing, as
neither his home for the disabled nor his family will take him in.
Dom Post 20/07/10
• Constant' offending a cry for DHB's help A
judge has sided with a solvents abuser, convicted thief and "old
friend", urging health authorities to cut through the "bureaucratic
logjams" that have seen her wait months for treatment. Upper Hutt
Leader 21/07/10
• Auckland cancer patients will be flown to
Christchurch for private radiotherapy while Canterbury patients
wait up to six weeks for treatment. St George's Hospital chief
executive Tony Hunter said the Auckland District Health Board
approached the private provider a week ago about radiation
treatment for Auckland public patients. The new contract was
revealed yesterday, four days after Director-General of Health
Stephen McKernan told Canterbury health chiefs that their cancer
treatment waiting times were a concern. He told the Canterbury
District Health Board (CDHB) on Friday that Canterbury's
preparation was "crucially important" to meeting a four-week target
for radiotherapy by December. The target was now six weeks. ChCh
Press 21/07/10
• Patients on beds at North Shore ED Radio New
Zealand 21/07/10
• Patients on beds in corridors at Waikato
hospital also RNZ 22/07/10
• Cuts to nursing services granted Cuts to
rehabilitation and district nursing services have been approved
without a murmur of dissent by the MidCentral District Health
Board. It is estimated the changes will contribute $478,000 in
savings towards the board's attempts to cut $10 million from its
spending.Man Std 22/07/10
• Another major hospital had to put patients on
beds in corridors this week because of high numbers at its
emergency department.
• North Shore hospital is grappling with
overcrowding despite criticism by the Health and Disability
Commissioner a year ago about substandard care.
• Waikato hospital now says it's inundated with
patients as well.
• Hawke's Bay District Health Board has received
five notices of industrial action by Medical Radiation
Technologists (MRT) who are members of APEX (Association of
Professionals and Executive Employees).This includes Medical
Radiation Technologists, Darkroom Technicians, Radiology Clinical
Assistants, Student Medical Radiation Technologists, Sonographers
or Student Trainee Sonographers and PACS administrators. Press
Release by Hawke's Bay District Health Board 23/07/10
• Grey Power Southland has lodged its case with
the Human Rights Commissioner about cuts to home help in Southland.
The case was based on reducing home-help services on the basis of
age. That was contrary to the United Nations charter on human
rights to which the Government was a signatory. Mr Piercy said they
had included "quite a large number" of examplesof how the cuts were
impacting. They included "instances where people have been admitted
to hospital because their care has been withdrawn". The Southland
Times 27/07/10
• Ashburn staff laid off Last month, Ashburn,
the country's oldest private psychiatric hospital, announced it had
to drop 9.7 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff to cope with a
$900,000 funding shortfall. Mr Smith's own position reduces from
full-time to 0.5FTE. As well as that, kitchen staff reduce 1FTE,
psychiatric staff 0.7FTE, psychotherapy 1FTE, office staff 1FTE and
nurses 5.5FTE. "It has been distressing for staff to see long-time
work colleagues going, and to see Alexander House shut." Ashburn,
established in 1882, had never had to cut staff before, he said.
ODT 27/07/10
August 2010
• Lack of funds harming kids' health says report
Children are subsidising adults in primary care, says a report to
Capital & Coast DHB's board meeting tomorrow, as members
grapple with how to correct "disadvantage" in investment in child
health. Dom Post 03/08/10
• Cost-cutting takes away home help from
elderly. Two-thirds of Canterbury elderly have had their home help
axed or reduced in what critics call a "cost-cutting exercise".
Between October and May, a board-funded agency reassessed 2400
people receiving home help. Of those, 101 lost their help and 1400
had their hours reduced. ChCh Press 05/08/10
• But the Canterbury District Health Board
(CDHB) says that although it has been taking people off short-term
help, it has increased the number of elderly getting long-term or
complex care and is spending more on home support.
• We speak with one voice. The scene at Dunedin
Town Hall yesterday evening as about 1000 people gathered at short
notice to support the retention of neurosurgery services in
Dunedin. Among the messages read to the meeting was one from all
four southern National MPs saying, in their view, on the
information available, the needs of the people of Otago and
Southland would be best served by the provision of a clinically
robust and sustainable neurosurgery service based in Christchurch
and Dunedin. While MPs Michael Woodhouse, Eric Roy and Jacqui Dean
have given clear support for a Dunedin service, it is the first
time deputy prime minister and Clutha Southland MP Bill English has
done so.ODT 06/08/10
• I can't cut any more, says outgoing DHB boss.
Wellington's district health board chief has quit, saying he cannot
cut costs any further without undermining patient care. In an email
to staff explaining his reasons for leaving his $430,000-a-year
job, he said there was no more room to cut the district health
board's costs, despite Government pressure to do so. "I cannot see
where any more major efficiency can come from without negatively
impacting on services." Dom Post 06/08/10
• Carry on cutting, Ryall tells DHB Health
Minister Tony Ryall has made it clear the Government wants further
savings from Wellington's district health board, despite warnings
that any more efficiencies will hurt health services. Capital &
Coast District Health Board chief executive Ken Whelan announced
his resignation last week after more than two years at the helm.
Dom Post 09/08/10
• Junior doctors facing big pay cut Locum rates
for Auckland-based doctors are about to be halved in a move
registrars say will leave shifts uncovered and place more stress on
hard-working staff. But hospital managers say the slashed payment
is to bring locum rates in Auckland into line with other district
health boards around the country. Sunday Star Times
08/08/10
• Mental health groups respond to cuts Mental
health support providers say Nelson Marlborough District Health
Board's $1.54 million budget cuts are alarming, and that the
long-term effects on the mentally ill are unknown. Representatives
of 18 non-government organisations (NGOs) are writing a report for
the board on how the cuts will affect clients, and plan to deliver
it in the next month. Co-chairman of the top of the south mental
health NGO provider network, Te Ara Mahi manager Peter Rees, said
NGOs and families didn't know what the changes would mean "on the
ground". "The outcomes have alarmed our service users and their
families." Nelson Mail 09/08/10
• Funding cut hurts On July 1, Helping Hands
lost funding for a half-time employment support worker. Before
Helping Hands, Peter Tinirau would just sit at home. He says
working gave him what he calls "my firepower - my life source". But
work can be hard to come by in Golden Bay, particularly if you have
mental health issues. Helping Hands made all the difference to him.
The Takaka centre gave him structure and an extra $60-$80 a week on
top of his "incredibly low" benefit. Without it, he believes the
other option was to be "locked up inside". "It's something to get
out of bed for if you're not too well," he says. The centre's only
funding now is from the Ministry of Social Development, which funds
it for 35 clients. Nelson Mail 10/08/10
• Suicide expert quits country 'in despair' An
international expert on suicide prevention left New Zealand "in
despair" over lack of Government funding, a colleague says.
Professor David Fergusson, of Otago University, said the Canterbury
Suicide Project, established in 1991, ended when Annette Beautrais
returned to work at Yale in the United States 18 months ago "in
despair". "The whole area of suicide research in Canterbury has
ceased largely because her work was not supported or recognised by
the Ministry of Health," he said. "She became extremely
disillusioned." ChCh Press 12/08/10
• Addiction centre fights to stay put
Residential addiction centres are a threatened species, says a
grim-faced Dr Tim Bevin. There are four publicly-funded residential
centres for drug and alcohol addiction in the Bay. But given New
Zealand's attitude towards alcohol alone, few would disagree with
Dr Bevin when he says there's an ever-growing need for these
centres. Which is why he and the other five members of the
Springhill Residential Addiction Centre Trust are determined to
hold on to their Napier site. It won't be an easy task. The
Springhill Addiction Centre needs to find funding to the tune of $2
million to continue to run from its current site. Hawkes Bay
Today 14/08/10
• Youth health centres could be at risk.
Parliament's health select committee today heard submissions on the
country's 11 "youth one-stop shops", which offer a range of
community-based health and social services to people in their teens
and early 20s. A one-stop shop in Christchurch closed its doors
earlier this year after the Canterbury District Health Board (DHB)
pulled its funding amid concerns over its finances. Another centre
in Invercargill is under threat after the Southland DHB axed its
funding. Otago Daily Times 18/08/10
• Funds cut for suicide bereaved A counselling
service for people who have lost family members to suicide has
suffered a government funding cut, despite relatives being at
greater risk of self-harm. Clinical Advisory Services Aotearoa
(Casa) provided counselling to family after a suicide as part of a
Health Ministry initiative called Postvention. However, chairman
Stephen Lisk said funding for the service was cut in June.ChCh
Press 20/08/10
• Health plan to show details of $1.4m cuts
Cost-cutting of up to $1.4 million will be outlined when the South
Canterbury District Health Board releases its annual plan tomorrow.
The plan was approved by Health Minister Tony Ryall last Tuesday
and formal approval would be sought from board members at their
meeting this Friday. The Timaru Herald 24/08/10
• Sickness result of housework cuts: St Kilda
pensioner John Currie said he was so worried about his housework
help being cut to 30 minutes a week, he ended up in hospital. The
94-year-old, who prides himself on his resilience and independence,
was in Dunedin Hospital for two nights last week with pleurisy. He
had exerted himself more than usual, by doing his vacuuming,
additional to other chores he does, such as making his bed.
However, he believes nervous exhaustion through worry about his
housework - rather than physical exertion - made him ill.
Initially, in March, the Southern District Health Board said Mr
Currie would lose his one and a-half hours' help, but he was given
30 minutes a week on appeal.ODT 24/08/2010
• Beds for elderly in short supply ELDERLY
people seeking residential or respite care could be forced to go
out of the district as Gisborne retirement homes approach full
capacity. Hospital-level and dementia care beds are the most
critical, as pressure on residential beds for the aged persists,
says Tairawhiti District Health planning, funding and population
health manager Helene Carbonatto."This is a short issue but it will
be a very painful one for 12 months," Ms Carbonatto told the
community, public health and disability support advisory committee
this week. Gisborne Herald 26 /082010
• Painful financial times for health services
Nelson and Marlborough health services face a prolonged and painful
bout of restructuring after the district health board signalled it
was doubling the amount it must save to $20 million if it is to
meet the Government's demand that it break even within three
years.Nelson Mail 27/08/2010
• DHB restructuring terminates six jobs The
Southern District Health Board is shedding six full-time jobs in
its planning and funding, and finance divisions. The board's
finance and funding general manager, Robert Mackway-Jones, was
tight-lipped about the restructuring, refusing to answer most of
the Otago Daily Times' questions. ODT 28/08/2010
September 2010
• Inglewood retiree Bob Taylor is challenging
the Government to get its priorities right after he was declined a
second cataract operation. Mr Taylor, 72, was delighted when he had
a successful cataract operation on his left eye about four months
back which returned sight to that eye. "I was in a pretty bad way.
It gave me great sight." But when he tried to get his blurry right
eye fixed, he was sent a letter from the Taranaki District Health
Board telling him he would not get the second operation and to
return to his GP for care.Taranaki Daily News
02/09/10
• Rest home finally bows to struggle Staff,
trustees and families of residents of the Joan Whiting Rest Home in
Collingwood, Golden Bay's only rest home, are "heartbroken" the
home is to close on November 30 after a long and painful struggle
for financial survival.The Nelson Mail 01/09/10
• Family fed up with waiting A
disappointing run with the Canterbury health system has resulted in
an Amberly family making a life-changing decision to move to
Australia for help. Colin and Patricia Vujcich have decided to
relocate their family to Sydney in a bid to get help for their
six-year-old, Eva, who has symptoms of Marfan syndrome. Eva's
quality of life has been deteriorating over the last five years
while she has been waiting for various appointments necessary to
diagnose her condition. After an appointment made in January
through the Canterbury health system was once again delayed, Mr and
Mrs Vujcich decided to make the more permanent move to Sydney.
Northern Outlook Rangiora 02/09/10
• Home help for elderly slashed to save money Up
to 500 elderly or disabled people who receive help around the house
will have their assistance axed as Wellington's district health
board tries to save money. Capital & Coast District Health
Board announced yesterday that people receiving household
management help only and not personal health care would have that
help cut unless they had a community services card. From Monday,
any new patients referred for a home-help assessment will not be
eligible for help with cleaning, heavy lifting, meal preparation or
shopping unless they also need personal health and hygiene care.
Existing household management-only clients who do not have a
community services card will have their help cut at their first
re-assessment after December 1. The Dominion Post 03/09/10
• Trust sees threat in maternity review A
Winton-based medical trust has called on support from Venture
Southland to help keep its maternity centre from being shut down.
The Central Southland Hospital Charitable Trust, which runs the
Winton Maternity Centre, has asked Venture to compile a report that
outlines the need for the centre to remain open. The centre's
operating costs, along with all other rural maternity centres in
Southland and Otago, are under review by the Southern District
Health Board as it seeks to address issues raised by rural midwives
about financial concerns.The Southland Times 04/09/10
• Staff cuts as health board rationalises Robert
Mackway-Jones The Southern District Health Board is reducing its
planning and funding department and centralising it in Dunedin. The
planning and funding department, as well as the finance department,
are being pruned, with 6.5 to 6.8 full-time equivalent positions
set to go.ODT 04/09/10
• Bay of Plenty DHB cut Curruth Elderly
Day Care facility in Tauranga (private correspondence from
constituent)
• TDHB in red at start of year Just one month
into the new financial year, the Taranaki District Health Board's
hospital services are already $460,000 in the red. The July result
was announced at the board's meeting in New Plymouth and comes on
the heels of a $7.88 million loss the previous year. Taranaki Daily
News11/09/10
• How the hospital failed my daughter
Leanna Kairua's daughter Veronica endured two weeks of hell at
North Shore Hospital. Veronica, says her mother, went through
unnecessary suffering for a common, though potentially lethal,
complaint. Leanna Kairua witnessed her daughter in terrible pain
while dealing with Third World conditions at North Shore Hospital.
NZ Herald 11/09/10
• Tight finances will dominate Hutt Valley
health board's next triennium Peter Glensor, who has chaired the
board for the last seven years, says the signal from the Government
is that DHBs can expect lower increases in funding for several
years ahead. "Even if the recession were to end tomorrow, the
Government's finances will continue to bottom out for some time to
come," he says. Vote Health is the single biggest beneficiary of
government spending and up until this year, taxpayers have pumped
in an extra $750 million or so per annum. But in the May Budget the
increase was trimmed to $500m. HVDHB, which on a population basis
gets 3.8 per cent of the national funding, was already grappling
with a budget blowout which required it to find $10m in savings
just to finish $4.5m in the red. Hutt News 07/09/10
• Health cuts hit home Home support workers are
facing another blow to already-reduced working hours as changes to
household support on Monday could see their hours cut further.
Since last year many home support workers have lost working hours
after district health boards slashed the number of free cleaning
and household support hours for elderly and disabled people.
Workers are facing further cuts after Capital and Coast District
Health Board announced new referrals for household support would
only be eligible for people with a community services care, and who
did not receive personal care. Kapiti Observer 10/09/10
• Deaf Mental Health services cut in Mid Central
region by private correspondence 20/09/10
• Child cancer unit called 'atrocious'
Canterbury urgently needs a new child cancer unit as the current
accommodation is "atrocious", a Canterbury District Health Board
(CDHB) member says. Christchurch Hospital has been treating
Wellington child cancer patients since the Capital and Coast
District Health Board service was downgraded two years ago. ChCh
Press 21/09/10
• Acute geriatric hospital to close Nelson's
health bosses are planning to close the hospital that caters for
the region's highest-need elderly people with serious dementia and
mental illnesses. The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board
admits there are financial issues behind its proposal to close
Alexandra Hospital in Richmond but says that the over-riding reason
is changes in the care of "psychogeriatric" patients.Nelson Mail
22/09/10
• Seven-week wait on Coast to see a GP The
retirement of a Greymouth GP has exacerbated the GP shortage on the
West Coast with patients having to wait up to seven weeks to see a
GP for non-urgent appointments. West Coast sickness beneficiary
Tony Whyte, who lives at Blackball, 28km from Greymouth, recently
hit the headlines when he went public about his concerns over the
delay in seeing a GP. New Zealand Doctor 08/09 2010
• ACC thrift leaves shortfall Belt-tightening
within the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) is hurting
Wairarapa Hospital's balance sheets as the national personal
accident insurer approves fewer operations. Wairarapa DHB has lost
about $80,000 in payments since the start of the year after it went
ahead with surgery that ACC later wouldn't cover. ACC is taking
longer to rubber-stamp compensation for surgeries but, for the sake
of patient health and safety, Wairarapa Hospital often has to carry
out the operations regardless. Wairarapa Times-Age 30/09/10
October 2010
• 50 jobs on line at DHB Up to 50 jobs are under
threat at the Northland District Health Board (NDHB). A proposed
restructure of its non-clinical staff has been announced. Northern
Advocate 01/1010
• Concerns over mental health deficit Robert
Mackway-Jones The Southern District Health Board says a looming
mental health care deficit means some services may be reduced as
the board seeks to balance its books. ODT 02/10/10
• Hours cuts may kill youth cancer service The
support service for adolescents and young people in cancer
treatment at Palmerston North Hospital is facing a cut so serious
its defenders fear it might not survive. The cut back in hours - to
three-tenths and four-tenths of full-time jobs in a
three-day-a-week service - has been sparked by the Health Ministry
cutting the budget to $61,000 a year. Manawatu Std
02/10/10
• Ryall: 400 Ministry of Health jobs to go The
Ministry of Health is expected to lose nearly 400 staff positions
over 2-1/2 years, Health Minister Tony Ryall says TV3
03/10/10
• Health board budget still under strain despite
cuts In spite of taking the axe to staff numbers, Wanganui's health
board budget remains on a knife edge. That assessment was delivered
by Whanganui District Health Board chief executive Julie Patterson
at the board's latest meeting. Wanganui Chronicle 06/10/10
• NZ doctor numbers in 'parlous state' New
Zealand is facing a doctor shortage crisis as the country continues
to haemorrhage locally trained physicians in large numbers to more
lucrative jobs overseas, the Association of Salaried Medical
Specialists (ASMS) says.ODT 11/10/10
• Intensive care unit 'in crisis' Christchurch
Hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) is in "crisis", its clinical
director says. Some patients had to be transferred earlier than
planned, heart surgeries had to be cancelled and staff had to work
overtime. Dr Seton Henderson said the unit was resourced for 15
intensive-care beds, but had had to cope with between 16 and 18
patients for the past two weeks. Some days, more than 20 patients
were going through the unit. ChCh Press 14/10/10
• Disabled still living in rest homes A lack of
suitable housing for people with disabilities is still forcing some
to live in rest homes, a support group says. ChCh Press
18/10/10
• DHBs: Patients hurt by 'dirty' industrial
tacticsDHBs say patients are being harmed by the "dirty" industrial
tactics of unionised radiographers and laboratory workers and have
asked the Government to "review" the right of health workers to
strike. The DHBs have listed potential harms to patients caused by
the current industrial action, including two patients whose scans
were deferred and have now been diagnosed with inoperable liver
cancer. "It is not known if this would have been treatable if the
scan had been done at the time requested two weeks previously," the
DHBs said. At a press conference in Wellington today, senior DHB
bureaucrats and doctors slammed the Medical Laboratory Workers
Union and the Association of Professionals and Executive Employees,
which represents radiographers. NZ Herald 20/10/10
• Pressure on heart diagnosis Christchurch
Hospital's waiting list for angiograms to diagnose heart disease
has jumped to about 200 people as the hospital struggles to deal
with record numbers since last month's earthquake. The cardiac unit
is also coping with just one working diagnostic laboratory when
patient volumes mean it needs four, its clinical director says.
David Smyth said it was inevitable some patients would die while
waiting up to six months to be seen. The waiting times are much
higher than in Britain and Australia. Smyth said it was a
challenging time for the unit, which was still dealing with the
effects of the Canterbury quake. The September 4 quake triggered
record numbers of heart attacks. ChCh Press 21/10/10
• Job cuts appal lab workers union Job losses
for Nelson medical laboratory workers show the Government is
reneging on its promise to fund more frontline health workers, says
the workers' union. MedLab South has proposed to cut a third of its
workers in Nelson and Marlborough, including almost six fulltime
equivalent jobs in Nelson, and send community lab tests to
Christchurch for processing. Urgent tests would still be processed
at Nelson Hospital.The Nelson Mail 21/10/10
• GP shortfall drives up fees Masterton
Medical's fees have increased more than other practices to help
cover the cost of bringing three doctors from the United States and
Britain to meet staff shortages.Fees went up across Wairarapa
medical practices on October 1 to cover the GST rise but at
Masterton Medical the fees rose slightly more to cover rising
costs. The practice has increased its standard fees by $4 for 25 to
65-year-olds - meaning a trip to the doctor now costs $35 for that
age group. Wairarapa Times 22/10/10
• Today I did postnatal visits of 5 women; three
homes were very cold with no heating. I have never experienced this
before. Coming to my clinic are women in very poor health with
diets of rice and cheap food. Email to from midwife Phil Goff
26/10/10
November 2010
• Waiting lists grow as strikes bite
Christchurch Hospital has spent $243,000 on private MRI scans as it
struggles to control a ballooning waiting list during months of
radiographers' strikes. More than 500 Canterbury patients are on a
waiting list for MRI scans, with a waiting time of up to six
months. ChCh Press 02/11/10
• Enough is Enough, says Waikato DHB Waikato
District Health Board has had enough of ongoing industrial action
by medical radiation technologists and is letting its staff,
patients and the community know.Chief executive Craig Climo today
said DHBs have had hundreds of strike notices over many months from
two unions."We want the public to know we've had enough. The
strikes are having a significant cumulative effect on patients'
access to services and are putting unfair pressure on other
staff.Press Release by Waikato District Health Board at
04/11/10
• GP wait list nears 2000 The number of people
in Horowhenua wanting to register with a doctor has stretched to
nearly 2000 people and continues to grow. One Horowhenua practice
reported turning away an estimated 20 patients a day and Foxton
Medical Centre said they had people ringing weekly and sometimes
daily to register with them, including people from Levin.
Horowhenua Mail 28/10/10
• Millar warns of service cutbacks Outgoing
Southern District Health Board chairman Errol Millar is warning
that health services will have to be cut to satisfy the
Government's budget targets. Health Minister Tony Ryall has offered
virtually no explanation for his decision not to reappoint Mr
Millar other than he wanted someone more suited to the
"consolidation" phase of the new board. Mr Millar said it probably
related to the ongoing deficit that the Southland and Otago boards
had been running for several years. He warned that the only way to
balance the books was to cut health services. Southland Times
06/11/10
• Alexandra Hospital staff fear for patients'
welfare Health workers at Richmond's Alexandra Hospital fear for
their patients under a new proposal put forward by the Nelson
Marlborough District Health Board to close the hospital and
contract care out to private providers. Alexandra Hospital provides
care for psychogeriatric patients, including dementia care, acute
care and long-term, or "continuing" care. Nelson Mail
06/11/10
• Provincial towns hit hard by GP shortage
People in some towns are having to wait several years to get a
doctor in their community due to a gap in the health workforce.
There are not enough General Practitioners (GPs) in New Zealand to
service people's health needs and some people are now choosing
where to live based on the quality of health services. The gap in
the health workforce has become a nationwide problem, but
provincial towns have been hit hardest. Levin resident Maria Whiti
said getting to see a doctor in her community is like a lottery and
she always has her fingers crossed. "You know, you might win [the
lottery] and get a doctor," she said. 08/11/10 ONE News
• Some fee rises from $35 to $42.50 for Under 17
year olds Tony Ryall said a $1 rise would be justified after the 1
Oct GST increase 17/11/10 ringing Capital and Coast GP practices
for under 17 fees* This was later revealed to be the figure
for the over 17s. Raumati practice has a $10 rise
• Cuts to diabetes centre 'broken promise'
Health watchdogs have slammed cuts to the Diabetes Lifestyle
Centre, confirmed yesterday by the MidCentral District Health
Board, as "reprehensible" and incredibly short-sighted. Diabetes
New Zealand president Chris Baty said the decision to cut a nurse
and a half-time administrator from the specialist service was a
huge disappointment given that demand for diabetes services was
going to grow. "None of it makes any sense at all. Manawatu
Standard 17/11/10
• Rest home closure plan sparks protest About
100 people were out protesting the pending closure of Taihape's
Ruanui House rest home yesterday morning, upset with the prospect
of having to shift loved ones out of town for care. This follows
the move into voluntary liquidation by Otaihape Health Ltd.Now the
Whanganui District Health Board is saying there was little chance
of Ruanui remaining open to permanent residents. Wendy Campbell was
among those at yesterday's meeting and said it was her "first ever
protest meeting". Mrs Campbell, who manages Kells Wool at Utiku,
said her parents, Lou and Joan Campbell had only shifted into the
home five months ago. The couple - Lou is 96 and Joan is 93 -
celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in September this year.
"They lived in this area for about 60 years and then moved away but
wanted to come back. So we found them a place in Ruanui and they
love it," Mrs Campbell said. "But this decision has absolutely
gutted us and everyone here," she said. 50 staff are set to lose
their jobs when the health centre closes within three weeks.
Wanganui Chronicle 21/11/10 TVNZ and TV3
December 2010
• Official Information Act requests and district
Annual Plan comparisons between 2009 and 2010 reveal $15 million
cut from Mental Health and Addiction services. Source
documents available 2/12/10
• District's diabetes service slammed Taranaki's
district health board has been slammed for inadequate services for
people with diabetes. Paul Drury, medical director of the New
Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes, was scathing about the
level of service provided. "We are extremely concerned and very
disappointed that Taranaki as a district health board hasn't taken
diabetes seriously over many years," Dr Drury said. "Taranaki has
possibly the most deficient service in the country."Taranaki Daily
News 03/12/10
• Taking $27 Million Out of Health Board Will
Hurt The long awaited Capital & Coast District Health Board
District Annual Plan released today reveals that the DHB will
suffer $27 million in spending reductions. These will hurt
Wellingtonians and need to be reversed," said C&CDHB Board
member David Choat, elected under the banner of Care not
Cuts.Health Minister Tony Ryall has approved the plan submitted by
the previous Board in June.Press Release by Care Not Cuts -
03/1210
• Rest Home Closure Rocks Taihape Taihape
residents are concerned the closure of the rest home will have
further negative effects on health services in the rural town.Lou
and Joan Campbell managed a large station in the district and lived
in Taihape for 60 years. It is their home.Now in their 90s, the
couple wanted to spend the rest of their days in the small rural
town in the central North Island, so five months ago they moved in
to Ruanui House rest home. News the rest home is closing, with
families given two weeks' notice to find alternative care for their
loved ones, has left them devastated.Sixteen elderly residents at
Ruanui will lose their home just before Christmas, after provider
Otaihape Health Limited went into voluntary liquidation. The
Whanganui District Health Board has confirmed the home will be
closed on December 12.New Zealand Farmers' Weekly
06/12/10
• Diabetes patients at risk A claim that poor
care for diabetes patients in the region is putting them at risk of
further serious health problems has been rejected by Bay of Plenty
District Health Board. Three major health groups have slated care
for diabetes patients in eight sample districts including the Bay
of Plenty, where it was claimed one nurse and one part-time doctor
were charged to care for 10,744 patients. But the health board _
which recently also complained about Ministry of Health diabetes
and heart disease figures which it claims are faulty _ says this is
inaccurate. A survey was undertaken by Diabetes New Zealand and the
Society for Study of Diabetes in New Zealand, who issued a joint
statement with the New Zealand Nurses Organisation. Bay of Plenty
Times 6/12/10
• Taranaki DHB District Annual Plan cut $90,000
from Diabetes. Last year the Diabetes Education and Management
funding was $290,452 (page 104)This year's Diabetes Education and
Management funding has dropped to $201,440 (page 82)
• Petition fails to stop rest home closure There
were tears in Taihape as Doug and Vera Wilson's family escorted the
elderly couple out of the town's closing rest home. Eileen
Wilson stroked her mother-in-law's arm and struggled to speak as
the reality of Ruanui rest home's imminent closure took its toll.
"She doesn't really know what's going on," she said. Mr Wilson was
settled into an ambulance by son Rob for his ride to Coombrae rest
home in Feilding, where the couple will be separated by a locked
door. While Mr Wilson needs medical care, his wife will need
dementia care. Man Stnd 09/12/2010
• Threshold raised for eye surgery. Increased
demand for cataract surgery and a lack of capacity to carry out
extra work has resulted in Dunedin Hospital raising the threshold
for such operations. The threshold for the surgery had been
increased by five points on the clinical priority assessment
criteria (CPAC) scoring system. The information used for this is
compiled by the consultant assessing the patient and allocating
scores and also the patient filling out a social score about how
they are affected by their condition. The points now need to add up
to 55 to qualify. Some people visually unfit to drive may have a
long wait before surgery, but Dr Coop said not being fit to drive
was not a sole factor which would qualify a patient for surgery.
ODT 13/12/10
• Patients die waiting for cancer treatment Two
cancer patients have died while waiting for a specialist
appointment at Wellington Hospital as the district health board
struggles to replace a cancer doctor who left nearly two years ago.
Capital & Coast District Health Board's waiting list to see a
medical oncologist - a chemotherapy doctor - has reportedly blown
out to nearly 100 people, though the organisation says the number
is now about half that. Dom Post 16/12/10
Health Cuts since coming to office - by region
Impacts Nationally
• Pies back on the menu in schools Cut anti
obesity, oral health and mental health targets. Ministerial release
8/05/09
• National have taken $2.3 million out of cancer
control. Budget 2009
• Slashed the diabetes 'let's get checked'
budget by $4.8 million each year. Budget 2009
• Cut $3 million from the cardiovascular disease
budget. Budget 2009
• Mental Health services have also had their
funding cut. Budget 2009
• Post budget Treasury documents show that
primary health and health promotion services that target specific
health conditions have had funding cuts of $37 million this
year.
• Tony Ryall this year signed off on a 6.5
percent increase in GP fees the largest increase since fees came
in. NZ Herald 03/06/09
• The Fruit in Schools programme which currently
provides 100,000 children with fresh fruit each day is under
threat. Herald on Sunday 14/06/09
• Senior doctors voted overwhelmingly last
Friday to focus on achieving a pathway to competitive terms and
conditions of employment in our national collective agreement
negotiations with district health boards next year in order to help
overcome the detrimental effects of our medical workforce
crisis ASMS release 06 /12/09
• Release of Cabinet Paper on ACC legislation
confirms no analysis done bon impact of Injury Prevention
Rehabilitation and Compensation Bill changes for the Health system
or the social welfare system - cost shifting surgery onto
health.
• Survey shows spending down on GP visits,
surgery and sports. Research commissioned by Southern Cross
shows Results found the number of people who visited their GP when
they felt unwell fell from 64 per cent in 2008 to 56 per cent this
year. Also, the number of people actively participating in sports,
going to the gym, and dieting for weight loss decreased
significantly. NZ Herald 03/12/09
• Mental health services under the knife in bid
to save millions The sudden closure of a highly regarded recovery
centre for vulnerable teens and young adults in Auckland has been
blamed on funding uncertainty, although critics maintain the
decision to close the Mind Matters Trust house in Titirangi was a
panic response.In Wellington, the Capital and Coast District Health
Board has signalled cuts for mental health services in the new
financial year in a bid to trim $10 million from its community
spending. Agencies are considering severe staffing and service
cuts.In Christchurch, the planned closure of the 198 Youth Centre
on April 30 has sparked protests and marches. The centre provides
general and mental health services. In Gisborne, the Tairawhiti
District Health Board's choice of an Auckland contractor to provide
general mental health services means funding cuts and job losses
for the former contractor, which will now provide Maori services.NZ
Herald 27/03/10
• Sandy Simpson one of NZ's foremost forensic
psychiatrists says cuts to mental health funding will have a
dramatic impact on front-line services.Dr Simpson says the cuts to
the mental health service's administration have meant frontline
staff have had to pick up that work as well as their own. RNZ
30/03/10
• Peter McGeorge Mental Health Commission told
Radio New Zealand he had anecdotal evidence DHBs are breaking into
mental health ring fenced money and that a number of important
community-based mental health providers have had to close due to
lack of funding. RNZ 06/04/10
• Auckland Regional Public Health sheds 12
staff The Auckland Regional Public Health Service is losing 7
per cent of its funding and 12 per cent of its fulltime-equivalent
staffing. The Public Health Association's national executive
officer, Gay Keating, said similar cuts to public health units were
occurring around the country. They would lead to more people having
costly hospital stays for conditions that could have been managed
in the community. The Health Ministry has already cut its public
health budget more than 10 per cent, to around $60 million.
Auckland is likely to lose the family violence reduction scheme and
the oral health promotion scheme. Auckland Public Health will shut
its Henderson and Manukau workplaces, and function exclusively from
its headquarters at the previous National Women's Hospital premises
in Greenlane. RNZ news 12/04/10
• Senior Doctors union Executive Director gives
speech in Canberra listing ways clinicians have not been listening
to under National. He says community and elderly were(so far)
bearing the brunt of health cuts, said the next steps in primary
care had not been thought out ASMS 15/04/10
• Retention of NZ Doctors Under Threat by Higher
Course Fees The New Zealand Medical Association is calling on the
Government to reconsider its stated intention to raise course fees
for medical students saying that such a move will adversely affect
New Zealand's ability to retain doctors in New Zealand NZMA
19/04/10
• Visiting Prof Philip James WHO - obesity
expert - criticises government approach. NZ's obesity controls had
fallen behind the rest of the Western world. He was astonished that
the National Government ditched the rule allowing only healthy
foods to be sold routinely in schools. He said New Zealand
was going against the world trend, even among conservative
governments. Its policy amounted to a subsidy for bad foods and
taught children that eating them was normal. NZ Herald
26/04/10
• The Public Health Association is deeply
disappointed by the announcement that 13 jobs are to go from the
Environmental Health Group at ESR because cuts to essential
services will result. Environmental Health Group staff help control
outbreaks of the flu, meningitis and other illnesses that
communicate from one person to another Media statement
11/05/10
• Health needs extra $555m, CTU says An
additional $555 million is needed in Thursday's Budget to keep the
health system afloat, a new study shows. In the 2009 Budget,
district health board (DHB) funding increased by about $750m. That
was expected to be slashed in half this year, "There is a serious
risk that using such a blunt fiscal instrument will force DHBs to
adopt shock-therapy measures, with the victims being patients," he
said. ChCh Press 17/05/10
• Tony Ryall's statement in Parliament
yesterday, which implied that the Health budget is both keeping up
with inflation and demographic change and will deliver "massively
improved front-line services", does not withstand scrutiny, says
the CTU. A pre-Budget CTU analysis (available at
http://union.org.nz/health-working-papers) showed that a $512
million increase in operational funding for Health was needed
simply to keep up with an estimated 2.4 percent rate of inflation
and an increased and ageing population. However, Treasury and
Reserve Bank forecasts of inflation in 2011 now predict CPI is
likely to rise by between 3.3 percent and 3.9 percent excluding the
increase in GST, adding between $34 million and $58 million to the
"stand still" requirement. Cost shifting as a result of the cuts in
ACC entitlements will also erode the Health budget. The Budget
included new services and restructuring costs of $158 million which
will add a further $118 million, even allowing for productivity
gains, bringing the total shortfall to between $152 million and
$176 million.CTU 16/06/10
• Concerns about collateral damage A survey of
members of Health Care Aotearoa has again raised a concern services
being delivered to vulnerable communities could become collateral
damage in the Government's desire to achieve rapid change in the
sector. The results indicated more than 80 per cent of those
primary health providers surveyed who had funding under review by
district health boards would be subject to cuts, with 80 per cent
of those affected in positions where they considered their overall
viability would be affected, while 33 per cent were still
struggling to assess what specific services would be impacted. NZ
Doctor 16/06/10
• Cuts leave the elderly helpless Grey Power
will complain to the Human Rights Commission that health board cuts
to the elderly's home help is age discrimination. Hundreds of
pensioners who rely on help for home cleaning and groceries have
had their care reduced.The Dominion Post 19/06/10
• Doctor exodus puts pressure on training So
many New Zealand-trained medical registrars are leaving the country
that our top doctors are wondering why we train them at all. Half
of all the medical registrars in their final year of training go
overseas, according to a survey that found the lure of a pay
difference, amounting to $70,000 in Australia, for instance, was
driving the exodus. Powell said the situation was a crisis and
"generally a crisis comes a bit before a collapse". Sunday Star
20/06/10
• "New Budget spending for health is welcomed
but the nursing sector is still bracing itself for service cuts and
restructuring. "NZ Nursing Review June 2010
• Government's Bonding Scheme Won't Solve Senior
Hospital Doctor Shortages Crisis Press Release by Association of
Salaried Medical Specialists 01/07/10
• GP consultations to rise with GST rise Timaru
Herald 6/07/10
• Budget documents reveal $10 million a year
'new' electives money announced in Budget is for rejected ACC
patients flooding the health system Ruth Dyson media release
12/07/10
• Frontline public health programmes slashed
under National: $12 million from tobacco control, $8million of
sexual health promotion and prevention programmes, $1 million from
public health alcohol and drug services, $4 million from mental
health workforce development and $1.2 million from the Like Minds
Like Mine campaign. Ruth Dyson media release 13/07/10
• Ryall:400 Ministry of Health jobs to go The
Ministry of Health is expected to lose nearly 400 staff positions
over 2-1/2 years, Health Minister Tony Ryall says TV3
03/10/10
• NZ doctor numbers in 'parlous state' New
Zealand is facing a doctor shortage crisis as the country continues
to haemorrhage locally trained physicians in large numbers to more
lucrative jobs overseas, the Association of Salaried Medical
Specialists (ASMS) says.ODT 11/10/10
• DHBs: Patients hurt by 'dirty' industrial
tactics DHBs say patients are being harmed by the "dirty"
industrial tactics of unionised radiographers and laboratory
workers and have asked the Government to "review" the right of
health workers to strike. The DHBs have listed potential harms to
patients caused by the current industrial action, including two
patients whose scans were deferred and have now been diagnosed with
inoperable liver cancer. "It is not known if this would have been
treatable if the scan had been done at the time requested two weeks
previously," the DHBs said. At a press conference in Wellington
today, senior DHB bureaucrats and doctors slammed the Medical
Laboratory Workers Union and the Association of Professionals and
Executive Employees, which represents radiographers. NZ Herald
20/10/10
• Official Information Act requests and district
Annual Plan comparisons between 2009 and 2010 reveal $15 million
cut from Mental Health and Addiction services. Source
documents available 2/12/10
Impacts by Region
Northland
• Northland DHB is warning people of delays in
its emergency department as well as the postponement of some
elective surgery and outpatient appointments following notice of
industrial action by medical radiation technologists
(MRTs).Northland District Health Board Media release 06/04/10
• North health bodies face axe Te Tai Tokerau
chief executive Rose Lightfoot said PHOs were vital in improving
access to health services in Northland, but it may be that there
were too many. Ms Lightfoot said PHOs were already pretty careful
with their money, costs and efficiencies. "But we hear the message
that's coming from the minister. Northland is also different,
because it's very large and spread out and the minister needs to
consider our special needs." Northern Advocate 10/02/10
• Patients at a Whangarei medical centre
battling for entry to a government scheme that keeps GP fees under
$17 have started lobbying the health minister. More than 100
patients from the Bush Road Medical Centre have sent a letter
addressed to Tony Ryall saying the practice's exclusion from
the Very Low Cost Access scheme breaches their human
rights by denying equitable funding for general practice care."My
high need exists whether I stay with my practice or decide to join
a practice with high needs funding," reads the letter, written by a
practice partner.NZ Doctor 16/06/10
• 50 jobs on line at DHB Up to 50 jobs are under
threat at the Northland District Health Board (NDHB). A proposed
restructure of its non-clinical staff has been announced. Northern
Advocate 01/1010
Auckland region
• Counties Manukau has cut funding to external
contractors. The cuts include two Maori health programmes and
Auckland University's $200,000-a-year evaluations of the board's
five-year, $10 million scheme to reduce the incidence of type 2
diabetes. NZ Herald
• Waitakere Hospital's emergency department is
only open between 8am and 6.30pm and free A& E vouchers to
White Cross are axed Sept 2009
• Auckland DHB Board papers reveal Board may
have to cut as much as 5%-10%. ADHB may have $150m less. Planning
and Funding officer says when adjusted for inflation "the funding
for next year is like to be less than this year" NZ Herald Big
Health Cuts on the way
• Meals on Wheels cut backs for elderly Janferie
Bryce-Chapman says the meals cost $5.13 each and older people
living alone are at risk of malnutrition. North Shore Times
27/04/10
• Addiction clinic to close after Auckland DHBs
withdraw contracts. The Care NZ clinic in Otahuhu, part of a
national network, has operated for nearly 40 years and serves
several hundred clients. It has been funded under a contract with
the Hutt Valley DHB, and was being "devolved" to the Auckland
boards. But a source said yesterday that the clinic would close in
early August because the Auckland, Waitemata and Counties Manukau
DHBs would not renew its annual grant of around $250,000 NZ Herald
14/05/10
• Starvation Eminent In Prime Minister's
Electorate. Government plan on withdrawing their subsidy for Meals
on Wheels in the Prime Minister's own electorate The service will
cease in September and Grey Power suspect the same will follow in
other areas shortly thereafter Grey Power 28/06/10 ELDERLY west
Auckland patients are being diverted to Takapuna and waiting up to
six hours for treatment because of bed and staff shortages at
Waitakere and North Shore hospitals. The Western Leader knows of at
least two separate cases involving a 78-year-old Titirangi man and
a 70-year-old Henderson woman this month. Western Leader
20/07/10
• Patients on beds at North Shore ED Radio New
Zealand 21/07/10 Junior doctors facing big pay cut Locum rates for
Auckland-based doctors are about to be halved in a move registrars
say will leave shifts uncovered and place more stress on
hard-working staff. But hospital managers say the slashed payment
is to bring locum rates in Auckland into line with other district
health boards around the country. Sunday Star Times
08/08/10
• How the hospital failed my daughter
Leanna Kairua's daughter Veronica endured two weeks of hell at
North Shore Hospital. Veronica, says her mother, went through
unnecessary suffering for a common, though potentially lethal,
complaint. Leanna Kairua witnessed her daughter in terrible pain
while dealing with Third World conditions at North Shore Hospital.
NZ Herald 11/09/10
• Today I did postnatal visits of 5 women; three
homes were very cold with no heating. I have never experienced this
before. Coming to my clinic are women in very poor health with
diets of rice and cheap food. Email to from midwife Phil Goff
26/10/10
Waikato
• Waikato DHB has frozen clinician jobs as well
as admin.The Board agreed to a $20 million savings drive for the
2009/10 financial year in the hope of achieving at least a $10
million surplus. The exact list of targeted activities had not been
made public because some of them may not be valid savings targets,
Mr Climo said. Big cuts ahead at Waikato District Health Board
Waikato Times 26/08/09
• Record numbers hinder ED target Waikato DHB
faces a near-impossible task of achieving the Government's six-hour
emergency department health target by the June 30 deadline. May
figures for the DHB showed a slide in the ED's ability to treat and
discharge or admit 95 per cent of patients within a six-hour time
frame. 79.8 % - a 5 per cent drop on April results where 84.9 %.
DHB acute services assistant group manager Kevin Harris said record
numbers of patients coming into the emergency departments had taken
a toll on achieving the target. And it wasn't people who should be
going to their GP first who were to blame. Waikato Times
12/06/10
• Patients on beds in corridors at Waikato
hospital also RNZ 22/07/10
Enough is Enough, says Waikato DHB Waikato District Health Board
has had enough of ongoing industrial action by medical radiation
technologists and is letting its staff, patients and the community
know.Chief executive Craig Climo today said DHBs have had hundreds
of strike notices over many months from two unions."We want the
public to know we've had enough. The strikes are having a
significant cumulative effect on patients' access to services and
are putting unfair pressure on other staff.Press Release by Waikato
District Health Board at 04/11/10
Tairawhiti
• Tairawhiti DHB announces it will stop surgery
for an unprecedented 6 week period over Christmas and New Year to
save money
• Funding cuts will hurt Men for Change I would
like to express my distress at the decision by Tairawhiti District
Health (TDH) to cut funding for Men for Change. Men for Change is
an organisation that helps men break the cycle of violence, walk
away, have time out and learn new skills to cope with what is
causing the violence. Gisborne Herald 31/03/10
• TURANGA Health says it will lose 15 staff and
$400,000 in revenue after Tairawhiti District Health Board chose an
Auckland organisation to work with mental health patients in the
community.The move is a "kick in the guts" to Turanga Health, who
had provided mental health services in Gisborne for 13 years, says
chief executive Reweti Ropiha."We eat and breathe local. We are not
going anywhere over the next 10 to 15 years, our loyalties are to
Gisborne . . . we are bitterly disappointed with the board's
decision," he said. Gisborne Herald 24/03/10
• Major reshaping for Wairoa Health body.
District likely to lose its PHO."I'm worried that decisions about
Wairoa health will not be made by Wairoa people as there are no
Wairoa people on the DHB" said Margie Sullivan Gisborne
Herald 25/06/10
• Beds for elderly in short supply ELDERLY
people seeking residential or respite care could be forced to go
out of the district as Gisborne retirement homes approach full
capacity. Hospital-level and dementia care beds are the most
critical, as pressure on residential beds for the aged persists,
says Tairawhiti District Health planning, funding and population
health manager Helene Carbonatto."This is a short issue but it will
be a very painful one for 12 months," Ms Carbonatto told the
community, public health and disability support advisory committee
this week. Gisborne Herald 26 /082010
Bay of Plenty
• Iwi lead charge against hospital mortuary
closure. Health board chief operating officer Phillip Balmer last
month said the mortuary was being closed because it cost too much -
about $2.5 million - to upgrade. Bay of Plenty Times 13/01/10
• Dispute halts kids' B4 school checks Free
before-school health checks for 4-year-olds in the Western Bay will
not be operated by the region's primary health organisation from
next month following a funding dispute. The impact of failing to
continue the checks would mean the health of children starting
school would be compromised, Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health
Organisation has warned.Bay of Plenty Times 30/01/10
• Gemini Nursing Services Ltd is a nurse-led
practice providing nursing services to low income people in
Tauranga and Te Puke. The PHO has recently advised them that
their funding has been cut. The practice has been running for
3.5 years and last year saw over 4,800 patients. The practice
employs 4 nurses (2 FTE and 2 part-time). They have a weekly
clinic with the local Turning Point Trust (health checks for
patients with mental illness, see and a weekly clinic in Te Puke
used by seasonal workers and those who cannot afford to see their
GP. Email to Ruth Dyson 24/05/10
• Bay of Plenty DHB cut Curruth Edlerly
Day Care facility in Tauranga (private correspondence from
constituent)
• Diabetes patients at risk A claim that poor
care for diabetes patients in the region is putting them at risk of
further serious health problems has been rejected by Bay of Plenty
District Health Board. Three major health groups have slated care
for diabetes patients in eight sample districts including the Bay
of Plenty, where it was claimed one nurse and one part-time doctor
were charged to care for 10,744 patients. But the health board _
which recently also complained about Ministry of Health diabetes
and heart disease figures which it claims are faulty _ says this is
inaccurate. A survey was undertaken by Diabetes New Zealand and the
Society for Study of Diabetes in New Zealand, who issued a joint
statement with the New Zealand Nurses Organisation. Bay of Plenty
Times 6/12/10
Hawkes Bay
• Work Disrupted: Two weeks of industrial action
by specialists starts tomorrow. Hawke's Bay Hospital is bracing for
two weeks without radiology services with the union for 40 local
staff members announcing they will strike in protest of a wage
freeze.Hawkes Bay 25/02/10
• Our story sparks 'gagging' letter A stern
letter from Hawke's Bay DHB has left PHO managers in the district
worried about speaking to the media.The confidential letter (21 May
2009), addressed to Wairoa PHO chair Ian Redshaw, demanded an
apology for Wairoa PHO manager Margie Sullivan's comments in New
Zealand Doctor (20 May 2009) concerning the DHB's, to that point,
inflexible response to questions about a $35,000 bill for mistakes
in general practice enrolment forms. Since then, Ms Sullivan says
she and other PHO managers have felt unsure what they can or cannot
talk about and almost like they can't say anything at all. Another
Hawke's Bay PHO manager, Tu Meke's Lynda Creighton, actually drew
New Zealand Doctor's attention to the letter's existence, citing it
as the reason she wouldn't be saying "anything radical".NZ Doctor
16/06/10
• Hawke's Bay District Health Board has received
five notices of industrial action by Medical Radiation
Technologists (MRT) who are members of APEX (Association of
Professionals and Executive Employees).This includes Medical
Radiation Technologists, Darkroom Technicians, Radiology Clinical
Assistants, Student Medical Radiation Technologists, Sonographers
or Student Trainee Sonographers and PACS administrators. Press
Release by Hawke's Bay District Health Board 23/07/10
Addiction centre fights to stay put Residential addiction centres
are a threatened species, says a grim-faced Dr Tim Bevin. There are
four publicly-funded residential centres for drug and alcohol
addiction in the Bay. But given New Zealand's attitude towards
alcohol alone, few would disagree with Dr Bevin when he says
there's an ever-growing need for these centres. Which is why he and
the other five members of the Springhill Residential Addiction
Centre Trust are determined to hold on to their Napier site. It
won't be an easy task. The Springhill Addiction Centre needs to
find funding to the tune of $2 million to continue to run from its
current site. Hawkes Bay Today 14/08/10
Health Cuts under National
Health Cuts since coming to office - by month
1
Health Cuts since coming to office - by region
26
Health Cuts since coming to office - by month
February 2009
• Pies back on the menu in schools. Tolley
reverses healthy food guidelines without consultation NZ Herald
6/2/09
March 2009
• Taranaki DHB has publicly signalled that its
hospital is preparing for cut backs. "Health Services get the
knife" Taranaki Daily New 10/03/09
• Breast Bus cancelled Westport women would have
to travel for 90 minutes and Karamea women double that
distance. U turn because of political pressure The
News-Westport 23/3/09
• Southland and Otago DHBs have confirmed they
are cutting home support services to reduce costs. The Boards were
looking to make savings of up to $10 million by reducing home
support services for elderly. Southland Times 22/04/09
May 2009
• Cut anti obesity, oral health and mental
health targets. Ministerial release 8/05/09
• National have taken $2.3 million out of cancer
control. Budget 2009
• Slashed the diabetes 'let's get checked'
budget by $4.8 million each year. Budget 2009
• Cut $3 million from the cardiovascular disease
budget. Budget 2009
• Mental Health services have also had their
funding cut. Budget 2009
June 2009
• Whanganui DHB has said it will be closing
hospital wards on weekends to save money on nursing overtime. "
Hospital looks to close wards at weekends" Wanganui Chronicle 26
/06/09
• Post budget Treasury documents show that
primary health and health promotion services that target specific
health conditions have had funding cuts of $37 million this
year.
• Tony Ryall this year signed off on a 6.5
percent increase in GP fees the largest increase since fees came
in. NZ Herald 03/06/09
• The Fruit in Schools programme which currently
provides 100,000 children with fresh fruit each day is under
threat. Herald on Sunday 14/06/09
• Mid Central DHB makes cuts $10 million cuts
Manawatu Standard
July 2009
• Timaru Hospital to cut services. In the coming
year the emergency department will attempt to cut patient numbers
by around 5000, and radiology services will be reduced by 10 per
cent, which would potentially affect 2400 examinations. The
emergency department cut will mean more work for GPs as patients
are directed back to primary care. SCDHB has also signalled
that it is looking to reduce the number of patients using radiology
services. The DHB also confirmed that it would be axing up to 200
elective operations per year because of a cut in Government
funding. Timaru Herald 30/07/09
August 2009
• Cuts to elderly care in South Canterbury The
Timaru Herald 30/07/09
• Sport fit coordinator jobs at risk as Govt
redirects money from anti obesity programmes
• Senior Doctors question Ministerial Health
Review.ASMS release 16/08/09
• Waikato DHB has frozen clinician jobs as well
as admin.The Board agreed to a $20 million savings drive for the
2009/10 financial year in the hope of achieving at least a $10
million surplus. The exact list of targeted activities had not been
made public because some of them may not be valid savings targets,
Mr Climo said. Big cuts ahead at Waikato District Health Board
Waikato Times 26/08/09
• Dunstan Hospital reduces community physio and
disability home support Southland Times 17/08/09
• WDHB would like to cut at least $200,000 out
of the WCPHO contract. This equates to 42% of the
discretionary money that the WDHB fund.The board asked why the WDHB
hadn't told the WCPHO during the Clinical Services Action Plan
process. The cuts have come out of the blue. The board were
very unhappy with the process.There has yet to be any discussion
regarding the devolution of services from primary to
secondary.Wairarapa Community PHO Board Meeting Minutes
27/08/09
• Dannevirke outpatients clinic cut Manawatu
Standard
• Counties Manukau has cut funding to external
contractors. The cuts include two Maori health programmes and
Auckland University's $200,000-a-year evaluations of the board's
five-year, $10 million scheme to reduce the incidence of type 2
diabetes. NZ Herald
September 2009
• $2million cut in mental health services Nelson
Mental health funding on chopping block Nelson Mail
• Waitakere Hospital's emergency department is
only open between 8am and 6.30pm and free A& E vouchers to
White Cross are axed Sept 2009
October 2009
• TDH services at risk A total shift in the way
healthcare was delivered was necessary to maintain frontline
services and elective surgeries as well as reach $2 million in
savings by the end of the financial year, the TDH board heard at
their monthly meeting."The public needs to know so things don't
come as a shock to them when we are cutting back on some services,"
said Board member Craig Bauld. Tairawhiti DHB announces it will
stop surgery for an unprecedented 6 week period over Christmas and
New Year to save money Gisborne Herald 2/11/09
• Home support cuts for elderly in
Canterbury. 'Old man offers to wash his shower with his foot'
ChCh Press
November 2009
• ACC refuses to pay for wheelchair for Taranaki
amputee who is told to go and ask the local DHB for funding
Taranaki Daily News
• A total of 12.5 nursing positions chopped
across the Palmerston North hospital's main surgical, medical and
child health wards, neonates, coronary care, intensive care and the
high dependency unit. Manawatu Standard
• Auckland DHB Board papers reveal Board may
have to cut as much as 5%-10%. ADHB may have $150m less. Planning
and Funding officer says when adjusted for inflation "the funding
for next year is like to be less than this year" NZ Herald Big
Health Cuts on the way
• Rural maternity stays for the chop The time
new mums spend at rural maternity homes in Southland could be
slashed as the Southland District Health Board proposes to cut
funding. A document leaked to The Southland Times shows the
Southland District Health Board is proposing to cut funding by 30
per cent to the Winton Maternity Centre, run by the Central
Southland Hospital Trust. Southland 04/11/09
December 2009
• Survey shows spending down on GP visits,
surgery and sports. Research commissioned by Southern Cross
shows Results found the number of people who visited their GP when
they felt unwell fell from 64 per cent in 2008 to 56 per cent this
year. Also, the number of people actively participating in sports,
going to the gym, and dieting for weight loss decreased
significantly. NZ Herald 03/12/09
• Senior doctors voted overwhelmingly last
Friday to focus on achieving a pathway to competitive terms and
conditions of employment in our national collective agreement
negotiations with district health boards next year in order to help
overcome the detrimental effects of our medical workforce
crisis ASMS release 06 /12/09
• Release of Cabinet Paper on ACC legislation
confirms no analysis done bon impact of Injury Prevention
Rehabilitation and Compensation Bill changes for the Health system
or the social welfare system - cost shifting surgery onto
health.
• Hospital turning away patients. Central
Medical GP Steve Dawson said 49 of his practice clients received
letters saying specialists at Oamaru Hospital could not see them
last week.The only options we have is to re-refer them, suggest
they use the private health system, or attempt to treat them
ourselves. Oamaru Mail 15/12/09
January 2010
• Hospitals propose preferential treatment for
those who can pay NZ Herald 25/01/10
• Cut up to 50 docs - hospital's secret report A
secret razor gang of health board managers, Health Ministry
officials and external consultants advises cutting up to 50 doctors
and outsourcing some specialties to solve Capital and Coast's
financial woes. A draft of a confidential report leaked to The
Dominion Post shows Capital and Coast's deficit is set to balloon
to $48.4 million by 2009-10 unless urgent action is taken to
address the underlying causes. Dominion Post 01/01/09
• Mary Bourke DHB Board Member candid on ACC
squeeze "So effectively, madam chair, what we are talking about
here is that ACC is trying to cut down on its costs by shoving its
responsibilities on to someone else?" Yes, came the answer.
Taranaki Daily News 27/01/10
• Assessment cuts help for elderly. More than
1200 Canterbury elderly have had their home-help hours cut or
reduced since a new assessment service began five months ago. ChCh
Press 27/01/10
• Phone assessments result in less aid At least
40 people between 80-90 have hours cut (Kapiti) Dominion Post
30/01/10
• Dispute halts kids' B4 school checks Free
before-school health checks for 4-year-olds in the Western Bay will
not be operated by the region's primary health organisation from
next month following a funding dispute. The impact of failing to
continue the checks would mean the health of children starting
school would be compromised, Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health
Organisation has warned. Bay of Plenty Times 30/01/10
• Iwi lead charge against hospital mortuary
closure. Health board chief operating officer Phillip Balmer last
month said the mortuary was being closed because it cost too much -
about $2.5 million - to upgrade. Bay of Plenty Times 13/01/10
February 2010
• Nephew takes on fight over home help cuts -
The nephew of an 86-year-old stroke victim has battled to regain
her home help after the service was slashed over the phone.
Wainuiomata reports 35 cuts and loss of service viability Dominion
Post 8/02/10
• Wellington Hospital trims 49 management roles.
Doctors and nurses who hold management roles are among nearly 50
staff at Wellington Hospital waiting to hear if they have lost
their jobs. Ian Powell, director of the Association of
Salaried Medical Specialists, the senior doctors' union, said that,
although no clinical staff were being cut, he was worried the
changes could make their jobs harder. "Most of the time those
so-called back-room positions actually help clinicians to do their
work." Dominion Post 8/02/10
• North health bodies face axe Te Tai Tokerau
chief executive Rose Lightfoot said PHOs were vital in improving
access to health services in Northland, but it may be that there
were too many. Ms Lightfoot said PHOs were already pretty careful
with their money, costs and efficiencies. "But we hear the message
that's coming from the minister. Northland is also different,
because it's very large and spread out and the minister needs to
consider our special needs." Northern Advocate 10/02/10
• Work Disrupted: Two weeks of industrial action
by specialists starts tomorrow. Hawke's Bay Hospital is bracing for
two weeks without radiology services with the union for 40 local
staff members announcing they will strike in protest of a wage
freeze. Hawkes Bay 25/02/10
March 2010
• By Elspeth McLean and Eileen Goodwin on Tue,
Otago Daily Times 16/03/10 Otago faces a "massive wave" of elderly
needing rest-home space that might not be available, if
cost-cutting forces rest-homes out of business, New Zealand Aged
Care Association board member Malcolm Hendry says.
• Proposal to cut 24 beds from Horowhenua Health
Centre DHB Board Minutes
• 10 surgical beds closed at MidCentral DHB DHB
Board Minutes
• Tangimoana residents fume over nurse cuts
Clinic hours have been cut from 20 to eight hours, while opening
days dropped from six to two a week, following a Primary Health
Organisation (PHO) review. Manawatu Standard 17/03/2010
• Proposal to limit SuperGold Card travel
entitlements. For elderly these free public transport entitlements
make it easier for them to get to hospital appointments.
• Health cuts 'hitting the front line' Some of
Canterbury's front-line health services are being axed, a
Christchurch health manager says. Union and Community Health
Service manager Genelle Gordon said the service was recently forced
to close its central city clinic and make two staff redundant. It
was expecting further cuts to its services. ChCh Press
23/03/10
• Christchurch's free youth health drop-in
centre will close next month amid fears some of the city's most
vulnerable young people will fall outside the system. The 198
Youth Health Centre provides free doctors, nurses and counsellors
for under-25s. Declining Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB)
funding meant the centre could no longer operate. Centre
director Sue Bagshaw said yesterday that despite the "disgusting"
lack of funding, she would reopen a similar service as soon as
possible. ChCh Press 06/03/10
• Managers' jobs face cut in DHB shake-up
Cash-strapped Wairarapa District Health Board plans to axe the
equivalent of about 10 management jobs in a bid to slash costs
while throwing more money toward frontline clinicians. ''The cost
of service delivery is outstripping the funding we receive.''
Wairarapa Times Age 27/03/10
• Funding cuts will hurt Men for Change. I would
like to express my distress at the decision by Tairawhiti District
Health (TDH) to cut funding for Men for Change. Men for Change is
an organisation that helps men break the cycle of violence, walk
away, have time out and learn new skills to cope with what is
causing the violence. Gisborne Herald 31/03/10
• TURANGA Health says it will lose 15 staff and
$400,000 in revenue after Tairawhiti District Health Board chose an
Auckland organisation to work with mental health patients in the
community.The move is a "kick in the guts" to Turanga Health, who
had provided mental health services in Gisborne for 13 years, says
chief executive Reweti Ropiha."We eat and breathe local. We are not
going anywhere over the next 10 to 15 years, our loyalties are to
Gisborne . . . we are bitterly disappointed with the board's
decision," he said. Gisborne Herald 24/03/10
• Mental health services under the knife in bid
to save millions The sudden closure of a highly regarded recovery
centre for vulnerable teens and young adults in Auckland has been
blamed on funding uncertainty, although critics maintain the
decision to close the Mind Matters Trust house in Titirangi was a
panic response.In Wellington, the Capital and Coast District Health
Board has signalled cuts for mental health services in the new
financial year in a bid to trim $10 million from its community
spending. Agencies are considering severe staffing and service
cuts.In Christchurch, the planned closure of the 198 Youth Centre
on April 30 has sparked protests and marches. The centre provides
general and mental health services. In Gisborne, the Tairawhiti
District Health Board's choice of an Auckland contractor to provide
general mental health services means funding cuts and job losses
for the former contractor, which will now provide Maori services.NZ
Herald 27/03/10
• Sandy Simpson one of NZ's foremost forensic
psychiatrists says cuts to mental health funding will have a
dramatic impact on front-line services.Dr Simpson says the cuts to
the mental health service's administration have meant frontline
staff have had to pick up that work as well as their own. RNZ
30/03/10
April 2010
• Peter McGeorge Mental Health Commission told
Radio New Zealand he had anecdotal evidence DHBs are breaking into
mental health ring fenced money and that a number of important
community-based mental health providers have had to close due to
lack of funding. RNZ 06/04/10
• Under 6s fee at Kenepuru puts young lives at
risk Paediatrician Nikki Blair asks CCDHB to remove fees.
Board will report back in June. Starship doctors agree
Dominion Post 07/04110
• Northland DHB is warning people of delays in
its emergency department as well as the postponement of some
elective surgery and outpatient appointments following notice of
industrial action by medical radiation technologists
(MRTs).Northland District Health Board Media release 06/04/10
• Board looks at further health cuts.The
Wellington district health board has cut contracts to medication
management and cardiovascular risk assessments and has reduced
funding for respiratory education. Kapiti Observer 09/04/10
• $20m cuts will hit patients. Patients will
lose frontline services in a plan to slash $10 million from primary
health services in Wellington and Kapiti, primary health groups
say. Capital & Coast District Health Board has provided The
Dominion Post with details of primary health contracts it plans to
cut or review this year and next year in order to save $10m. It is
also planning to cut its hospital budget by $17m. The board, which
has a $857m budget, wants to find savings of $27m as part of a plan
to get rid of its deficit within three years. Moves include
cancelling contracts to teach patients how to self-manage long-term
conditions, cutting a refugee health service and ending some
funding that provided longer doctor appointments for
cardio-vascular patients. The board is also reviewing funding for
court-based alcohol and drug counselling, immunisation and youth
sexual health services. Dominion Post 12/0410
• Auckland Regional Public Health sheds 12
staff The Auckland Regional Public Health Service is losing 7
per cent of its funding and 12 per cent of its fulltime-equivalent
staffing. The Public Health Association's national executive
officer, Gay Keating, said similar cuts to public health units were
occurring around the country. They would lead to more people having
costly hospital stays for conditions that could have been managed
in the community. The Health Ministry has already cut its public
health budget more than 10 per cent, to around $60 million.
Auckland is likely to lose the family violence reduction scheme and
the oral health promotion scheme. Auckland Public Health will shut
its Henderson and Manukau workplaces, and function exclusively from
its headquarters at the previous National Women's Hospital premises
in Greenlane. RNZ news 12/0410
• Senior Doctors union Executive Director gives
speech in Canberra listing ways clinicians have not been listening
to under National. He says community and elderly were(so far)
bearing the brunt of health cuts, said the next steps in primary
care had not been thought out ASMS 15/04/10
• Taranaki sources, who did not wish to be
named, yesterday said grave fears existed that this was already
happening. Mr Coleman's spokesman said this was incorrect.
"The Government has not said that DHBs can tap into mental health
budgets. The Government has actually told DHBs that the ring fence
remains in place." The news delighted Mental Health Foundation
chief executive Judi Clements, of Auckland. "There was concern that
it might be happening though it was not official," Dr Clements
said. Taranaki Daily News 16/04/10
• Retention of NZ Doctors Under Threat by Higher
Course Fees The New Zealand Medical Association is calling on the
Government to reconsider its stated intention to raise course fees
for medical students saying that such a move will adversely affect
New Zealand's ability to retain doctors in New Zealand NZMA
19/04/10
• Looming staff cuts cause angst. Looming cuts
to staff and services in Taranaki's public hospitals are cause for
serious concern, a representative for health workers says. Public
Service Association organiser Peter Ireland said yesterday that any
suggestion of cuts to staff was worrying. "There is extreme concern
about what is happening overall in the health sector," he
said. Taranaki Daily News 20/04/10
• Elderly and ailing people in Murchison may be
forced to end their lives away from home after speculation the NM
District Health Board intends to close aged-care beds in Murchison
Hospital. Nelson Mail 23/04/10
• Visiting Prof Philip James WHO - obesity
expert - criticises government approach. NZ's obesity controls had
fallen behind the rest of the Western world. He was astonished that
the National Government ditched the rule allowing only healthy
foods to be sold routinely in schools. He said New Zealand
was going against the world trend, even among conservative
governments. Its policy amounted to a subsidy for bad foods and
taught children that eating them was normal. NZ Herald
26/04/10
• Dying patients, people needing intensive
rehabilitation and the elderly will all be hit by proposed health
cuts in the Manawatu. The DHB confirmed it plans to make cuts and
changes to its services that will save $2.7 million a year. Axing
the overnight district nursing service, which provides care to
patients, many of whom are terminally ill, in their homes. Dominion
Post 22/04/10
• Meals on Wheels cut backs for elderly Janferie
Bryce-Chapman says the meals cost $5.13 each and older people
living alone are at risk of malnutrition. North Shore Times
27/04/10
• Health deficit tops $8 million. DHB Committee
member Nic Boheimer said there were moral and ethical questions
about reducing any services which were by-products of health. "Pain
is a by-product of hospitals. "Having no pain management
service would be like having a toilet with no toilet paper."
Taranaki Daily News 28/04/10
• Loss of a free and confidential sexual health
service that is available to everyone in the MidCentral Health
district would be disturbing, says Women's Health Collective member
Jean Hera. "I don't understand how primary health is going to pick
up all these clients." Man. Std 28/04/10
• Little hospital help for eye patients. People
needing certain eye operations at Nelson Hospital will have to get
worse or go private, due to Nelson Marlborough District Health
Board limiting eye surgery for all but urgent cases The Nelson Mail
29/04/2010
• Govt funding cuts have forced the axing of an
advertising campaign targeting problem gamblers as the number of
people seeking help soars. the Problem Gambling Foundation halted a
$55,000 radio campaign - urging troubled gamblers to seek help -
after just 6 months when the ministry cut $275,000 from its annual
grant. ChCh Press 30/04/10
• Concern and uncertainty surrounds one of
Christchurch's health services with the respite care home, Newell
House, closing its doors next month is run by the Oxford Terrace
Baptist Church and provides respite care for mentally ill women and
their children. TVNZ 30/04/10
May 2010
• Cuts fears cloud celebration. The Palmerston
North Diabetes Lifestyle Centre marked its 30th anniversary this
week under the threat of service cuts. The Centre has established
itself as a centre of excellence, recognised nationally and
internationally and upon which specialist diabetes services in
other centres have been modelled," Dr Dixon said. Another speaker
sounding a warning not to tamper with diabetes services was Paul
Drury, medical director of the New Zealand Society for the Study of
Diabetes. The incidence of diabetes is growing by about 8 per
cent a year across New Zealand, and resources would have to be put
into dealing with the "tsunami" of diabetes that was affecting
communities and hitting people younger. Man Stnd 1/05/10
• District face health cuts Norma Evans of Grey
Power -"these health cuts are just going to snow ball and I'm
worried more cuts will come. This is just the start" "Some of
our older people can't reach their toes to cut their toenails and
they are charged $60 if they go to a podiatrist" I had a friend who
had skin cancer and had been seen locally by a Dr in Oct but her
appointment on the waiting list had fallen through the cracks - I'm
getting more and more accounts of this sort of thing happening"
Dannevirkes Glennis McDonald recently attended Grey Power
conference in ChCh and says they have 80,000 membership. "Our
membership is on the rise because elder people are concerned about
health issues" Dannevirke News 03/05/10
• Public Health cuts worry ProCare NZ Doctor
7/05/10
• Surgeon slates MP's health claims.
Surgeon Clive Solomon disputes elective surgery figures used by
Simon Power in his newsletter "Almost anything can be
considered an elective operation and by Mr Power's figures we have
no idea whether an elective case represents a hip replacement, a
liver transplant, a hernia repair or removal of a pimple or a
splinter," Wanganui Chronicle 5/5/10
• The Public Health Association is deeply
disappointed by the announcement that 13 jobs are to go from the
Environmental Health Group at ESR because cuts to essential
services will result. Environmental Health Group staff help control
outbreaks of the flu, meningitis and other illnesses that
communicate from one person to another. Media statement
11/05/10
• Regional Public Health will shed 9.3 full-time
equivalent staff most of them working in health promotion roles if
a proposed major re-structure is adopted. RPH is part of the Hutt
Valley District Health Board but has roles in chronic disease, the
medical officer of health role, health promotion, emergency
preparedness and disease control for the Wellington region. It has
144.1 (FTE (full-time equivalent) staff. Hutt News 11/05/10
• Addiction clinic to close after Auckland DHBs
withdraw contracts. The Care NZ clinic in Otahuhu, part of a
national network, has operated for nearly 40 years and serves
several hundred clients. It has been funded under a contract with
the Hutt Valley DHB, and was being "devolved" to the Auckland
boards. But a source said yesterday that the clinic would close in
early August because the Auckland, Waitemata and Counties Manukau
DHBs would not renew its annual grant of around $250,000 NZ Herald
14/05/10
• Father despairs at delays in 'urgent'
surgery.Twelve-year-old Kirstie Wake has waited more than two years
for surgery to treat her scoliosis during which time her spine has
curved to 100 degrees. The father of a 12-year-old girl - confined
to a wheelchair and unable to attend school because of a series of
cancelled operations - has hit out at the "systematic breakdown" of
the health system. "I've gone past frustration to complete
despair," her father, Gary, said. Auckland District Health Board
insisted yesterday that the delays were necessary, and said Kirstie
would get her operation. The Dominion Post 15/05/10
• Harsh home help cut hurts sick pensioner Vicky
Drew's home help was cut from 90 minutes a week to 60 minutes a
fortnight, several months after a telephone assessment by her local
health board. (Kapiti)The 85-year-old has two artificial knees,
needs a hip replacement and has two vertebrae out of place, one of
which is fractured NZ Herald 17/05/10
• Health needs extra $555m, CTU says An
additional $555 million is needed in Thursday's Budget to keep the
health system afloat, a new study shows. In the 2009 Budget,
district health board (DHB) funding increased by about $750m. That
was expected to be slashed in half this year, "There is a serious
risk that using such a blunt fiscal instrument will force DHBs to
adopt shock-therapy measures, with the victims being patients," he
said. ChCh Press 17/05/10
• Paraparaumu College - has had a weekly visit
from a nurse, then it was cut back to fortnightly, and now there
will be no visits from 1 July. Previously funded by Hutt
Valley DHB. Email to Ruth Dyson 20/05/10
• Health cuts 'too deep' - community Nurses
carried a coffin down Levin's main street yesterday, in defence of
Star4, the Horowhenua Health Centre's assessment, treatment, and
rehabilitation ward. Despite plans to cut $9 million from patient
services, the MidCentral District Health Board has approved
spending more than $1.4m on new computer software. Manawatu
Standard 20/05/10
• Reprieve won for medical centre Horowhenua has
won a $1.2 million reprieve for its health centre, and 10 medical
and nursing jobs are safe for now following a MidCentral Health
backdown. Manawatu Standard 22/05/10
• Gemini Nursing Services Ltd is a nurse-led
practice providing nursing services to low income people in
Tauranga and Te Puke. The PHO has recently advised them that
their funding has been cut. The practice has been running for
3.5 years and last year saw over 4,800 patients. The practice
employs 4 nurses (2 FTE and 2 part-time). They have a weekly
clinic with the local Turning Point Trust (health checks for
patients with mental illness, see and a weekly clinic in Te Puke
used by seasonal workers and those who cannot afford to see their
GP. Email to Ruth Dyson 24/05/10
• Wainuiomata is losing 4 Doctors on 1st July.
There will only be two doctors left and they are not going to be
replaced. Email to Ruth Dyson 24/05/10
• Mental health funding cut The Nelson
Marlborough District Health Board will slash $1.51 million from
mental health services in the district. The cuts are being made
partly as a result of the board's Rutherford Initiative, aimed at
making savings in community and hospital health services. They
would address a forecast $1.8m mental health overspend, the board
said in a statement. Key people in affected organisations said they
were reeling from this body blow to mental health services.
However, they felt unable to speak on the record while contract
negotiations with the board were underway. "It is an indicator of
people's insecurity that they won't be quoted," said one
representative. The cuts were slammed as hitting a vulnerable group
lacking a strong voice. Nelson Mail The Marlborough Express
25/05/10 News
• Wellington Hospital staff sent home to save
cash Elective surgery and other services at Wellington Hospital
will be cut for a week while staff are sent on leave to save
money.The Resident Doctors Association fears patient safety will be
compromised but Capital & Coast District Health Board says
there will be little effect on patients Dominion Post
27/05/10
• Plans to close Kenepuru overnight emergency
services between 11pm and 8am to save money RNZ News
27/05/10
• Daughter pays nurse to help at hospital.
Golden Bay resident Victoria Davis spent $1000 hiring a nurse to
care for her mother in Nelson Hospital after she says staff told
her to hire outside help because they were too overworked to look
after her. Ms Davis is also angered that a Nelson rest home missed
the severe bladder infection that landed her mother, Josephine
Fargo, 87, in hospital with septicaemia when the infection spread
to her blood. Dominion Post 29/05/10
• Hospital may axe staff to cut deficit Staff
cuts are looming at the Whanganui District Health Board as the
health service battles to live within a constricting budget.
Wanganui Chronicle 31/05/10
June 2010
• Plea over medical training Christchurch
Hospital surgeons are refining their skills among buckets of
rainwater while nurses are training in store rooms, says the head
of Canterbury's clinical skills unit. ChCh Press 01/05/10
• Golden Bay's mental health service, Te Whare
Mahana, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), will need money from
charities if it is avoid cutting services. Nelson Marlborough
District Health Board is to slash $1.5 million from mental health
services across the district in the next financial year and NGOs
will be hardest hit - they receive 25 per cent of the total mental
health funding but suffered 40 per cent of the budget cuts. Te
Whare Mahana manager Jo Johnson described the regional cuts as
"shocking and "a big blow". She said mental health was already
underfunded. The Nelson Mail 1/05/10
• South Link Health has shed its general manager
position as it continues to "cut the cloth to fit" its
circumstances. NZ Doctor 02/06/10
• Managers face axe in health shakeup The heads
of senior managers are on the chopping block at Nelson Marlborough
District Health Board as rising costs and demands on health
services force a restructure of its strategic leadership team. The
sweeping review will mean that all members of the current team will
have to apply for new positions, with only chief executive John
Peters' job safe.The Nelson Mail 04/06/10
• Home help slashed by 1000 hours a week
Southland people have lost more than 1000 hours a week of home help
and will almost certainly lose even more as the Southern District
Health Board seeks to slash millions of dollars from its budget.
The board has cut a total of 1493 hours a week of home help
services across Southland and Otago with the southern region
bearing the brunt of the cuts to date with 1091 hours lost to 682
people Southland Times 04/06/10
• Another hospital ordeal Nelson Hospital nurses
told her they were too busy to care for her husband is urging
people to speak out about working conditions in the hospital's
medical ward. In September last year Nelson man William Evans, 85,
was in hospital after suffering his seventh stroke. Mr Evans uses
incontinence products, and his wife, Liz Evans, said a nurse told
her she was too busy to shower him. Mrs Evans, who usually cares
fulltime for her husband at home, showered him at the hospital
herself. "I said `Is this legal?' She said `No, but it's on your
head if there's an accident'." The Nelson Mail
05/06/10
• Stay quiet on health cuts, staff warned
Midcentral Health staff have been told not to bother patients about
proposed health service cuts. said chief executive Murray Georgel
in a staff newsletter about the financial recovery plan and its
goal of finding $10 million in savings. "These are challenging
times for us as an organisation," he said. "Please continue to
provide timely, efficient and safe patient care while any questions
or feedback about our financial recovery programme can be directed
to me, to general managers, or to directors within MidCentral
Health."Man Std 05/06/10
• Hospital needs 'business focus' Lakes District
Hospital was "permanently in financial difficulty" and some sort of
public-private partnership would improve its viability, Deputy
Prime Minister, Finance Minister and local MP Bill English said in
Queenstown yesterday. Southland Times 05/06/10
• Board finding 'not surprising' In February, Ms
Davis paid a private nurse $1000 to come into Nelson Hospital to
care for her mother, 87-year-old Josephine Fargo, who was in
hospital with septicaemia. "We're looking at an investigation of a
body by a body," Ms Davis said. "If a nurse had come out and
admitted she did say that, there would be consequences. Whether any
of the staff feel free to speak candidly about what happened will
be dependent on how they think it will affect their working
environment." The Nelson Mail 04/06/10
• Pressure builds against cuts About 120 people
braved bitterly cold temperatures in Palmerston North's Square to
protest MidCentral District Health Board cuts. Sixteen speakers
called for the community to put pressure on the board and the
Government to stop planned "changes" to frontline health services.
"They tell us this is not about cuts, but about change. Well, I beg
to differ," said Manawatu Stewart Centre manager Janet Webb.Man Std
10/06/2010
• Record numbers hinder ED target Waikato DHB
faces a near-impossible task of achieving the Government's six-hour
emergency department health target by the June 30 deadline. May
figures for the DHB showed a slide in the ED's ability to treat and
discharge or admit 95 per cent of patients within a six-hour time
frame. 79.8 % - a 5 per cent drop on April results where 84.9 %.
DHB acute services assistant group manager Kevin Harris said record
numbers of patients coming into the emergency departments had taken
a toll on achieving the target. And it wasn't people who should be
going to their GP first who were to blame. Waikato Times
12/06/10
• Dozens of jobs face axe DHB management is
refusing to confirm how many people will lose their jobs - from
report Safely Reducing our Spending Wanganui Chronicle
14/06/10
• Westport will have about half as many GPs as
it needs between now and the end of October, but Buller Health
Medical Centre is confident it will cope. Buller Medical has three
full-time equivalent (FTE) permanent GPs available at present:Fully
staffed, the practice needs six to eight permanent GPs.
Buller Medical is also short of nurses. It has 6.13FTE nurses,
about two fewer than it would like. The News Westport
15/06/10
• 682 Southlanders have lost home help
Government is being accused of breaching the United Nations'
charter on human rights and could face legal action over cuts to
home help for the elderly. Meetings have been held throughout the
country as part of a Labour and Green Party "investigation" into
the state of aged care but it was clearly the cuts to home help in
Southland that resulted in 200 people attending the meeting
yesterday. More than 20 people stood up and told of how they or
their relatives or friends had been cut from the system.The
Southland 15/06/10
• Hutt health group says funding cuts will hit
high needs patients A Hutt primary health organisation (PHO) with
92 per cent of patients classified as "high needs" says it's being
forced to cut frontline staff hours and/or increase fees because of
funding cuts. Piki Te Ora ki Te Awakairangi has 12,600 patients
enrolled with the Hutt Union (HUCHS) practices in Petone and
Pomare, Whai Oranga in Wainuiomata and the Pacific Health Service
in Naenae. HUCHs manager Sally Nicholl says discretionary funding
to the PHO from the Hutt Valley District Health Board is to be
halved (to about $300,000) and it's also expecting lower Govt
fundingHutt News 15/06/10
• Our story sparks 'gagging' letter A stern
letter from Hawke's Bay DHB has left PHO managers in the district
worried about speaking to the media.The confidential letter (21 May
2009), addressed to Wairoa PHO chair Ian Redshaw, demanded an
apology for Wairoa PHO manager Margie Sullivan's comments in New
Zealand Doctor (20 May 2009) concerning the DHB's, to that point,
inflexible response to questions about a $35,000 bill for mistakes
in general practice enrolment forms. Since then, Ms Sullivan says
she and other PHO managers have felt unsure what they can or cannot
talk about and almost like they can't say anything at all. Another
Hawke's Bay PHO manager, Tu Meke's Lynda Creighton, actually drew
New Zealand Doctor's attention to the letter's existence, citing it
as the reason she wouldn't be saying "anything radical".NZ Doctor
16/06/10
• Patients at a Whangarei medical centre
battling for entry to a government scheme that keeps GP fees under
$17 have started lobbying the health minister. More than 100
patients from the Bush Road Medical Centre have sent a letter
addressed to Tony Ryall saying the practice's exclusion from
the Very Low Cost Access scheme breaches their human
rights by denying equitable funding for general practice care."My
high need exists whether I stay with my practice or decide to join
a practice with high needs funding," reads the letter, written by a
practice partner.NZ Doctor 16/06/10
• Budget cuts raise cost of GP visits for poorer
patients Patients in some of the poorest parts of Lower Hutt will
pay more for doctors' visits, with funding to a local health
organisation set to be cut.The move has sparked fears that
low-income patients may stop going to their GPs, get sicker and end
up in hospital. The Hutt-based Piki te Ora Primary Health
Organisation will have $95,000 cut from its budget from July 1 -
money used to subsidise the cost of healthcare for people unable to
afford doctors' visits.Dom Post 17/06/10
• Home help cuts biting A massive reduction in
housework allowances for sick Southlanders is starting to hit home,
and senior citizens claim they are bearing the brunt of the
Government's cost cutting. Jenny and Bert Porter are typical of the
687 people who have had their domestic assistance entitlements
reduced or cut by the Southern District Health Board during the
past year.The Southland Times 18/06/10
• Cuts leave the elderly helpless Grey Power
will complain to the Human Rights Commission that health board cuts
to the elderly's home help is age discrimination. Hundreds of
pensioners who rely on help for home cleaning and groceries have
had their care reduced.The Dominion Post 19/06/10
• Doctor exodus puts pressure on training So
many New Zealand-trained medical registrars are leaving the country
that our top doctors are wondering why we train them at all. Half
of all the medical registrars in their final year of training go
overseas, according to a survey that found the lure of a pay
difference, amounting to $70,000 in Australia, for instance, was
driving the exodus. Powell said the situation was a crisis and
"generally a crisis comes a bit before a collapse". Sunday Star
20/06/10
• Reduction in activity for DHB goes ahead A
"planned reduction in activity" has gone ahead this week as the
Capital and Coast District Health Board (CCDHB) tries to save money
Some elective surgeries and non-essential support services would
not be scheduled for this week and some staff had been asked to
take annual leave, starting from today NZPA 21/06/10
• Turn 65 and look out. Grey Power put out
media statement commenting on private health insurance premium
rises for their age group in addition to: Hearing aids and
batteries no longer subsidized by ACC for industrial deafness
suffered earlier in life, Home Help cut/discontinued and Elder
Abuse in Rest Homes Grey Power media release 21/06/10
• Drug, alcohol centre loses funding St Marks
Adult Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre, in Blenheim, had a $70,000
contract with the Health Ministry to treat people with convictions.
Centre manager Lois Miller said the contract funded two beds for 12
months. Marlborough Express 24/06/10
• Anger over mother left in faeces A Masterton
woman is upset at Wellington Hospital after her mother was
allegedly left lying in her own faeces for three hours. The
65-year-old woman, who has a bowel condition, was not attended to
last Thursday afternoon despite buzzing every half an hour, her
daughter said yesterday. Wairarapa Times Age 24/06/10
• OIA request to Nelson Marlborough DHB reveals
$600,000 cut to mental health provision for 2010/2011
25/06/10
• Major reshaping for Wairoa Health body.
District likely to lose its PHO."I'm worried that decisions about
Wairoa health will not be made by Wairoa people as there are no
Wairoa people on the DHB" said Margie Sullivan Gisborne
Herald 25/06/10
• Staff cap adds to hospital pressure Lack of
money and the cap on administrative staff is putting staff under
pressure, Dunedin Hospital's chief medical officer, Richard Bunton,
says. ASMS Ian Powell and PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff
both said Mr Bunton's concerns would apply to other areas of the
country. ODT 26/06/10
• Starvation Eminent In Prime Minister's
Electorate. Government plan on withdrawing their subsidy for Meals
on Wheels in the Prime Minister's own electorate The service will
cease in September and Grey Power suspect the same will follow in
other areas shortly thereafter Grey Power 28/06/10
• SDHB members should speak out over
neurosurgery services and have the courage to back their chief
executive's bid to employ two neurosurgeons immediately, an Otago
woman with recent experience of the service says. She was critical
of the proposal to base all six neurosurgeons in a regional service
in ChCh. She was concerned there had been no public debate
over neurosurgery services around the Southern District Health
Board table and no opportunity for community input. ODT 28/06/10
• $900,000 shortfall; clinic losing 10 staff
Dunedin's Ashburn Clinic is losing nearly 10 full-time equivalent
staff, combining two inpatient wards and mothballing a hostel to
make up a $900,000 funding shortfall. During the past five years,
ACC funding for sexual-abuse inpatients dropped from $2 million to
$900,000 in the 2009-10 financial year.The clinic lost a $500,000
five-bed eating-disorder contract with the Ministry of Health,
effective from the end of this month.ODT 29/06/10
• "New Budget spending for health is welcomed
but the nursing sector is still bracing itself for service cuts and
restructuring. "NZ Nursing Review June 2010
July 2010
• Te Whai Oranga O Te Iwi Health Centre a Maori
Health Centre in Wainuiomata losing 4 doctors on 1 July email
• Government's Bonding Scheme Won't Solve Senior
Hospital Doctor Shortages Crisis Press Release by Association of
Salaried Medical Specialists 01/07/10
• A move to make GPs unavailable in Rangiora and
Kaiapoi after hours goes against the Government's health
priorities, a Canterbury DHB member says. Andrew Dickerson became
concerned after hearing news that GPs across Rangiora and Kaiapoi
will not work after 5pm on weekdays anymore and not at all on
weekends. ChCh Press 05/07/10
• GP consultations to rise with GST rise Timaru
Herald 6/07/10
• Scaled-back proposals for cuts at MidCentral
Health's Diabetes Lifestyle Centre still don't wash with Diabetes
Manawatu secretary Kathy Scott. The option of slashing the jobs of
five nurses, a dietitian and an office worker has been put
alongside a less-drastic second option that would see just one
nurse and a part-time administrator out of work. "It would mean
there would be no service when that one nurse was sick or on leave,
and to try to work without a dietitian would be no service at all."
Man Std 6/07/10
• Taihape health care on last legs Otaihape
Health is facing a budget deficit of $500,000 for the 2010-11 year
and wages are a major component. Mr Hefford said Otaihape Health
had three options - continue the status quo, agree to a cost and
funding restructure with the WDHB and staff, or quit. Whanganui
Chronicle 7/07/10
• 12 jobs cut after PHO merger Twelve management
and administration jobs have been cut from MidCentral's four
primary health organisations, saving $378,000. Manawatu,
Tararua, Horowhenua and Otaki PHOs, merged into one Central PHO at
the start of July. Man Std 10/07/10
• Budget documents reveal $10 million a year
'new' electives money announced in Budget is for rejected ACC
patients flooding the health system Ruth Dyson media release
12/07/10
• Frontline public health programmes slashed
under National: $12 million from tobacco control, $8million of
sexual health promotion and prevention programmes, $1 million from
public health alcohol and drug services, $4 million from mental
health workforce development and $1.2 million from the Like Minds
Like Mine campaign. Ruth Dyson media release 13/07/10
• Acute 24/7 surgery to go. Canterbury DHB plans
to scrap 24/7 acute surgical services from November are alarming
health professionals. A 3 month trial will start 1 August. Dr
Chris Ryan a board member but also an Ashburton GP says the loss of
anaesthetists may mean seriously ill patients may not be able to be
stabilised in the 'golden hour' before being sent to Christchurch.
Ashburton Guardian 13/07/10
• Risk of hospital unit loss 'reason to worry'
The head of the Southern District Health Board has said people
worried Dunedin Hospital might lose neurosurgical services were
"absolutely" right to be concerned. Southland Times 14/07/10
• OIA reply from Capital and Coast DHB reveals
almost $5 million cut in mental health provision for 2010/2011
15/07/10
• ELDERLY west Auckland patients are being
diverted to Takapuna and waiting up to six hours for treatment
because of bed and staff shortages at Waitakere and North Shore
hospitals. The Western Leader knows of at least two separate cases
involving a 78-year-old Titirangi man and a 70-year-old Henderson
woman this month. Western Leader 20/07/10
• Dementia patient in jail over 'three strikes'
case A 69-year-old with Parkinson's disease and mild dementia is in
Rimutaka Prison awaiting a "three strikes" offence hearing, as
neither his home for the disabled nor his family will take him in.
Dom Post 20/07/10
• Constant' offending a cry for DHB's help A
judge has sided with a solvents abuser, convicted thief and "old
friend", urging health authorities to cut through the "bureaucratic
logjams" that have seen her wait months for treatment. Upper Hutt
Leader 21/07/10
• Auckland cancer patients will be flown to
Christchurch for private radiotherapy while Canterbury patients
wait up to six weeks for treatment. St George's Hospital chief
executive Tony Hunter said the Auckland District Health Board
approached the private provider a week ago about radiation
treatment for Auckland public patients. The new contract was
revealed yesterday, four days after Director-General of Health
Stephen McKernan told Canterbury health chiefs that their cancer
treatment waiting times were a concern. He told the Canterbury
District Health Board (CDHB) on Friday that Canterbury's
preparation was "crucially important" to meeting a four-week target
for radiotherapy by December. The target was now six weeks. ChCh
Press 21/07/10
• Patients on beds at North Shore ED Radio New
Zealand 21/07/10
• Patients on beds in corridors at Waikato
hospital also RNZ 22/07/10
• Cuts to nursing services granted Cuts to
rehabilitation and district nursing services have been approved
without a murmur of dissent by the MidCentral District Health
Board. It is estimated the changes will contribute $478,000 in
savings towards the board's attempts to cut $10 million from its
spending.Man Std 22/07/10
• Another major hospital had to put patients on
beds in corridors this week because of high numbers at its
emergency department.
• North Shore hospital is grappling with
overcrowding despite criticism by the Health and Disability
Commissioner a year ago about substandard care.
• Waikato hospital now says it's inundated with
patients as well.
• Hawke's Bay District Health Board has received
five notices of industrial action by Medical Radiation
Technologists (MRT) who are members of APEX (Association of
Professionals and Executive Employees).This includes Medical
Radiation Technologists, Darkroom Technicians, Radiology Clinical
Assistants, Student Medical Radiation Technologists, Sonographers
or Student Trainee Sonographers and PACS administrators. Press
Release by Hawke's Bay District Health Board 23/07/10
• Grey Power Southland has lodged its case with
the Human Rights Commissioner about cuts to home help in Southland.
The case was based on reducing home-help services on the basis of
age. That was contrary to the United Nations charter on human
rights to which the Government was a signatory. Mr Piercy said they
had included "quite a large number" of examplesof how the cuts were
impacting. They included "instances where people have been admitted
to hospital because their care has been withdrawn". The Southland
Times 27/07/10
• Ashburn staff laid off Last month, Ashburn,
the country's oldest private psychiatric hospital, announced it had
to drop 9.7 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff to cope with a
$900,000 funding shortfall. Mr Smith's own position reduces from
full-time to 0.5FTE. As well as that, kitchen staff reduce 1FTE,
psychiatric staff 0.7FTE, psychotherapy 1FTE, office staff 1FTE and
nurses 5.5FTE. "It has been distressing for staff to see long-time
work colleagues going, and to see Alexander House shut." Ashburn,
established in 1882, had never had to cut staff before, he said.
ODT 27/07/10
August 2010
• Lack of funds harming kids' health says report
Children are subsidising adults in primary care, says a report to
Capital & Coast DHB's board meeting tomorrow, as members
grapple with how to correct "disadvantage" in investment in child
health. Dom Post 03/08/10
• Cost-cutting takes away home help from
elderly. Two-thirds of Canterbury elderly have had their home help
axed or reduced in what critics call a "cost-cutting exercise".
Between October and May, a board-funded agency reassessed 2400
people receiving home help. Of those, 101 lost their help and 1400
had their hours reduced. ChCh Press 05/08/10
• But the Canterbury District Health Board
(CDHB) says that although it has been taking people off short-term
help, it has increased the number of elderly getting long-term or
complex care and is spending more on home support.
• We speak with one voice. The scene at Dunedin
Town Hall yesterday evening as about 1000 people gathered at short
notice to support the retention of neurosurgery services in
Dunedin. Among the messages read to the meeting was one from all
four southern National MPs saying, in their view, on the
information available, the needs of the people of Otago and
Southland would be best served by the provision of a clinically
robust and sustainable neurosurgery service based in Christchurch
and Dunedin. While MPs Michael Woodhouse, Eric Roy and Jacqui Dean
have given clear support for a Dunedin service, it is the first
time deputy prime minister and Clutha Southland MP Bill English has
done so.ODT 06/08/10
• I can't cut any more, says outgoing DHB boss.
Wellington's district health board chief has quit, saying he cannot
cut costs any further without undermining patient care. In an email
to staff explaining his reasons for leaving his $430,000-a-year
job, he said there was no more room to cut the district health
board's costs, despite Government pressure to do so. "I cannot see
where any more major efficiency can come from without negatively
impacting on services." Dom Post 06/08/10
• Carry on cutting, Ryall tells DHB Health
Minister Tony Ryall has made it clear the Government wants further
savings from Wellington's district health board, despite warnings
that any more efficiencies will hurt health services. Capital &
Coast District Health Board chief executive Ken Whelan announced
his resignation last week after more than two years at the helm.
Dom Post 09/08/10
• Junior doctors facing big pay cut Locum rates
for Auckland-based doctors are about to be halved in a move
registrars say will leave shifts uncovered and place more stress on
hard-working staff. But hospital managers say the slashed payment
is to bring locum rates in Auckland into line with other district
health boards around the country. Sunday Star Times
08/08/10
• Mental health groups respond to cuts Mental
health support providers say Nelson Marlborough District Health
Board's $1.54 million budget cuts are alarming, and that the
long-term effects on the mentally ill are unknown. Representatives
of 18 non-government organisations (NGOs) are writing a report for
the board on how the cuts will affect clients, and plan to deliver
it in the next month. Co-chairman of the top of the south mental
health NGO provider network, Te Ara Mahi manager Peter Rees, said
NGOs and families didn't know what the changes would mean "on the
ground". "The outcomes have alarmed our service users and their
families." Nelson Mail 09/08/10
• Funding cut hurts On July 1, Helping Hands
lost funding for a half-time employment support worker. Before
Helping Hands, Peter Tinirau would just sit at home. He says
working gave him what he calls "my firepower - my life source". But
work can be hard to come by in Golden Bay, particularly if you have
mental health issues. Helping Hands made all the difference to him.
The Takaka centre gave him structure and an extra $60-$80 a week on
top of his "incredibly low" benefit. Without it, he believes the
other option was to be "locked up inside". "It's something to get
out of bed for if you're not too well," he says. The centre's only
funding now is from the Ministry of Social Development, which funds
it for 35 clients. Nelson Mail 10/08/10
• Suicide expert quits country 'in despair' An
international expert on suicide prevention left New Zealand "in
despair" over lack of Government funding, a colleague says.
Professor David Fergusson, of Otago University, said the Canterbury
Suicide Project, established in 1991, ended when Annette Beautrais
returned to work at Yale in the United States 18 months ago "in
despair". "The whole area of suicide research in Canterbury has
ceased largely because her work was not supported or recognised by
the Ministry of Health," he said. "She became extremely
disillusioned." ChCh Press 12/08/10
• Addiction centre fights to stay put
Residential addiction centres are a threatened species, says a
grim-faced Dr Tim Bevin. There are four publicly-funded residential
centres for drug and alcohol addiction in the Bay. But given New
Zealand's attitude towards alcohol alone, few would disagree with
Dr Bevin when he says there's an ever-growing need for these
centres. Which is why he and the other five members of the
Springhill Residential Addiction Centre Trust are determined to
hold on to their Napier site. It won't be an easy task. The
Springhill Addiction Centre needs to find funding to the tune of $2
million to continue to run from its current site. Hawkes Bay
Today 14/08/10
• Youth health centres could be at risk.
Parliament's health select committee today heard submissions on the
country's 11 "youth one-stop shops", which offer a range of
community-based health and social services to people in their teens
and early 20s. A one-stop shop in Christchurch closed its doors
earlier this year after the Canterbury District Health Board (DHB)
pulled its funding amid concerns over its finances. Another centre
in Invercargill is under threat after the Southland DHB axed its
funding. Otago Daily Times 18/08/10
• Funds cut for suicide bereaved A counselling
service for people who have lost family members to suicide has
suffered a government funding cut, despite relatives being at
greater risk of self-harm. Clinical Advisory Services Aotearoa
(Casa) provided counselling to family after a suicide as part of a
Health Ministry initiative called Postvention. However, chairman
Stephen Lisk said funding for the service was cut in June.ChCh
Press 20/08/10
• Health plan to show details of $1.4m cuts
Cost-cutting of up to $1.4 million will be outlined when the South
Canterbury District Health Board releases its annual plan tomorrow.
The plan was approved by Health Minister Tony Ryall last Tuesday
and formal approval would be sought from board members at their
meeting this Friday. The Timaru Herald 24/08/10
• Sickness result of housework cuts: St Kilda
pensioner John Currie said he was so worried about his housework
help being cut to 30 minutes a week, he ended up in hospital. The
94-year-old, who prides himself on his resilience and independence,
was in Dunedin Hospital for two nights last week with pleurisy. He
had exerted himself more than usual, by doing his vacuuming,
additional to other chores he does, such as making his bed.
However, he believes nervous exhaustion through worry about his
housework - rather than physical exertion - made him ill.
Initially, in March, the Southern District Health Board said Mr
Currie would lose his one and a-half hours' help, but he was given
30 minutes a week on appeal.ODT 24/08/2010
• Beds for elderly in short supply ELDERLY
people seeking residential or respite care could be forced to go
out of the district as Gisborne retirement homes approach full
capacity. Hospital-level and dementia care beds are the most
critical, as pressure on residential beds for the aged persists,
says Tairawhiti District Health planning, funding and population
health manager Helene Carbonatto."This is a short issue but it will
be a very painful one for 12 months," Ms Carbonatto told the
community, public health and disability support advisory committee
this week. Gisborne Herald 26 /082010
• Painful financial times for health services
Nelson and Marlborough health services face a prolonged and painful
bout of restructuring after the district health board signalled it
was doubling the amount it must save to $20 million if it is to
meet the Government's demand that it break even within three
years.Nelson Mail 27/08/2010
• DHB restructuring terminates six jobs The
Southern District Health Board is shedding six full-time jobs in
its planning and funding, and finance divisions. The board's
finance and funding general manager, Robert Mackway-Jones, was
tight-lipped about the restructuring, refusing to answer most of
the Otago Daily Times' questions. ODT 28/08/2010
September 2010
• Inglewood retiree Bob Taylor is challenging
the Government to get its priorities right after he was declined a
second cataract operation. Mr Taylor, 72, was delighted when he had
a successful cataract operation on his left eye about four months
back which returned sight to that eye. "I was in a pretty bad way.
It gave me great sight." But when he tried to get his blurry right
eye fixed, he was sent a letter from the Taranaki District Health
Board telling him he would not get the second operation and to
return to his GP for care.Taranaki Daily News
02/09/10
• Rest home finally bows to struggle Staff,
trustees and families of residents of the Joan Whiting Rest Home in
Collingwood, Golden Bay's only rest home, are "heartbroken" the
home is to close on November 30 after a long and painful struggle
for financial survival.The Nelson Mail 01/09/10
• Family fed up with waiting A
disappointing run with the Canterbury health system has resulted in
an Amberly family making a life-changing decision to move to
Australia for help. Colin and Patricia Vujcich have decided to
relocate their family to Sydney in a bid to get help for their
six-year-old, Eva, who has symptoms of Marfan syndrome. Eva's
quality of life has been deteriorating over the last five years
while she has been waiting for various appointments necessary to
diagnose her condition. After an appointment made in January
through the Canterbury health system was once again delayed, Mr and
Mrs Vujcich decided to make the more permanent move to Sydney.
Northern Outlook Rangiora 02/09/10
• Home help for elderly slashed to save money Up
to 500 elderly or disabled people who receive help around the house
will have their assistance axed as Wellington's district health
board tries to save money. Capital & Coast District Health
Board announced yesterday that people receiving household
management help only and not personal health care would have that
help cut unless they had a community services card. From Monday,
any new patients referred for a home-help assessment will not be
eligible for help with cleaning, heavy lifting, meal preparation or
shopping unless they also need personal health and hygiene care.
Existing household management-only clients who do not have a
community services card will have their help cut at their first
re-assessment after December 1. The Dominion Post 03/09/10
• Trust sees threat in maternity review A
Winton-based medical trust has called on support from Venture
Southland to help keep its maternity centre from being shut down.
The Central Southland Hospital Charitable Trust, which runs the
Winton Maternity Centre, has asked Venture to compile a report that
outlines the need for the centre to remain open. The centre's
operating costs, along with all other rural maternity centres in
Southland and Otago, are under review by the Southern District
Health Board as it seeks to address issues raised by rural midwives
about financial concerns.The Southland Times 04/09/10
• Staff cuts as health board rationalises Robert
Mackway-Jones The Southern District Health Board is reducing its
planning and funding department and centralising it in Dunedin. The
planning and funding department, as well as the finance department,
are being pruned, with 6.5 to 6.8 full-time equivalent positions
set to go.ODT 04/09/10
• Bay of Plenty DHB cut Curruth Elderly
Day Care facility in Tauranga (private correspondence from
constituent)
• TDHB in red at start of year Just one month
into the new financial year, the Taranaki District Health Board's
hospital services are already $460,000 in the red. The July result
was announced at the board's meeting in New Plymouth and comes on
the heels of a $7.88 million loss the previous year. Taranaki Daily
News11/09/10
• How the hospital failed my daughter
Leanna Kairua's daughter Veronica endured two weeks of hell at
North Shore Hospital. Veronica, says her mother, went through
unnecessary suffering for a common, though potentially lethal,
complaint. Leanna Kairua witnessed her daughter in terrible pain
while dealing with Third World conditions at North Shore Hospital.
NZ Herald 11/09/10
• Tight finances will dominate Hutt Valley
health board's next triennium Peter Glensor, who has chaired the
board for the last seven years, says the signal from the Government
is that DHBs can expect lower increases in funding for several
years ahead. "Even if the recession were to end tomorrow, the
Government's finances will continue to bottom out for some time to
come," he says. Vote Health is the single biggest beneficiary of
government spending and up until this year, taxpayers have pumped
in an extra $750 million or so per annum. But in the May Budget the
increase was trimmed to $500m. HVDHB, which on a population basis
gets 3.8 per cent of the national funding, was already grappling
with a budget blowout which required it to find $10m in savings
just to finish $4.5m in the red. Hutt News 07/09/10
• Health cuts hit home Home support workers are
facing another blow to already-reduced working hours as changes to
household support on Monday could see their hours cut further.
Since last year many home support workers have lost working hours
after district health boards slashed the number of free cleaning
and household support hours for elderly and disabled people.
Workers are facing further cuts after Capital and Coast District
Health Board announced new referrals for household support would
only be eligible for people with a community services care, and who
did not receive personal care. Kapiti Observer 10/09/10
• Deaf Mental Health services cut in Mid Central
region by private correspondence 20/09/10
• Child cancer unit called 'atrocious'
Canterbury urgently needs a new child cancer unit as the current
accommodation is "atrocious", a Canterbury District Health Board
(CDHB) member says. Christchurch Hospital has been treating
Wellington child cancer patients since the Capital and Coast
District Health Board service was downgraded two years ago. ChCh
Press 21/09/10
• Acute geriatric hospital to close Nelson's
health bosses are planning to close the hospital that caters for
the region's highest-need elderly people with serious dementia and
mental illnesses. The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board
admits there are financial issues behind its proposal to close
Alexandra Hospital in Richmond but says that the over-riding reason
is changes in the care of "psychogeriatric" patients.Nelson Mail
22/09/10
• Seven-week wait on Coast to see a GP The
retirement of a Greymouth GP has exacerbated the GP shortage on the
West Coast with patients having to wait up to seven weeks to see a
GP for non-urgent appointments. West Coast sickness beneficiary
Tony Whyte, who lives at Blackball, 28km from Greymouth, recently
hit the headlines when he went public about his concerns over the
delay in seeing a GP. New Zealand Doctor 08/09 2010
• ACC thrift leaves shortfall Belt-tightening
within the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) is hurting
Wairarapa Hospital's balance sheets as the national personal
accident insurer approves fewer operations. Wairarapa DHB has lost
about $80,000 in payments since the start of the year after it went
ahead with surgery that ACC later wouldn't cover. ACC is taking
longer to rubber-stamp compensation for surgeries but, for the sake
of patient health and safety, Wairarapa Hospital often has to carry
out the operations regardless. Wairarapa Times-Age 30/09/10
October 2010
• 50 jobs on line at DHB Up to 50 jobs are under
threat at the Northland District Health Board (NDHB). A proposed
restructure of its non-clinical staff has been announced. Northern
Advocate 01/1010
• Concerns over mental health deficit Robert
Mackway-Jones The Southern District Health Board says a looming
mental health care deficit means some services may be reduced as
the board seeks to balance its books. ODT 02/10/10
• Hours cuts may kill youth cancer service The
support service for adolescents and young people in cancer
treatment at Palmerston North Hospital is facing a cut so serious
its defenders fear it might not survive. The cut back in hours - to
three-tenths and four-tenths of full-time jobs in a
three-day-a-week service - has been sparked by the Health Ministry
cutting the budget to $61,000 a year. Manawatu Std
02/10/10
• Ryall: 400 Ministry of Health jobs to go The
Ministry of Health is expected to lose nearly 400 staff positions
over 2-1/2 years, Health Minister Tony Ryall says TV3
03/10/10
• Health board budget still under strain despite
cuts In spite of taking the axe to staff numbers, Wanganui's health
board budget remains on a knife edge. That assessment was delivered
by Whanganui District Health Board chief executive Julie Patterson
at the board's latest meeting. Wanganui Chronicle 06/10/10
• NZ doctor numbers in 'parlous state' New
Zealand is facing a doctor shortage crisis as the country continues
to haemorrhage locally trained physicians in large numbers to more
lucrative jobs overseas, the Association of Salaried Medical
Specialists (ASMS) says.ODT 11/10/10
• Intensive care unit 'in crisis' Christchurch
Hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) is in "crisis", its clinical
director says. Some patients had to be transferred earlier than
planned, heart surgeries had to be cancelled and staff had to work
overtime. Dr Seton Henderson said the unit was resourced for 15
intensive-care beds, but had had to cope with between 16 and 18
patients for the past two weeks. Some days, more than 20 patients
were going through the unit. ChCh Press 14/10/10
• Disabled still living in rest homes A lack of
suitable housing for people with disabilities is still forcing some
to live in rest homes, a support group says. ChCh Press
18/10/10
• DHBs: Patients hurt by 'dirty' industrial
tacticsDHBs say patients are being harmed by the "dirty" industrial
tactics of unionised radiographers and laboratory workers and have
asked the Government to "review" the right of health workers to
strike. The DHBs have listed potential harms to patients caused by
the current industrial action, including two patients whose scans
were deferred and have now been diagnosed with inoperable liver
cancer. "It is not known if this would have been treatable if the
scan had been done at the time requested two weeks previously," the
DHBs said. At a press conference in Wellington today, senior DHB
bureaucrats and doctors slammed the Medical Laboratory Workers
Union and the Association of Professionals and Executive Employees,
which represents radiographers. NZ Herald 20/10/10
• Pressure on heart diagnosis Christchurch
Hospital's waiting list for angiograms to diagnose heart disease
has jumped to about 200 people as the hospital struggles to deal
with record numbers since last month's earthquake. The cardiac unit
is also coping with just one working diagnostic laboratory when
patient volumes mean it needs four, its clinical director says.
David Smyth said it was inevitable some patients would die while
waiting up to six months to be seen. The waiting times are much
higher than in Britain and Australia. Smyth said it was a
challenging time for the unit, which was still dealing with the
effects of the Canterbury quake. The September 4 quake triggered
record numbers of heart attacks. ChCh Press 21/10/10
• Job cuts appal lab workers union Job losses
for Nelson medical laboratory workers show the Government is
reneging on its promise to fund more frontline health workers, says
the workers' union. MedLab South has proposed to cut a third of its
workers in Nelson and Marlborough, including almost six fulltime
equivalent jobs in Nelson, and send community lab tests to
Christchurch for processing. Urgent tests would still be processed
at Nelson Hospital.The Nelson Mail 21/10/10
• GP shortfall drives up fees Masterton
Medical's fees have increased more than other practices to help
cover the cost of bringing three doctors from the United States and
Britain to meet staff shortages.Fees went up across Wairarapa
medical practices on October 1 to cover the GST rise but at
Masterton Medical the fees rose slightly more to cover rising
costs. The practice has increased its standard fees by $4 for 25 to
65-year-olds - meaning a trip to the doctor now costs $35 for that
age group. Wairarapa Times 22/10/10
• Today I did postnatal visits of 5 women; three
homes were very cold with no heating. I have never experienced this
before. Coming to my clinic are women in very poor health with
diets of rice and cheap food. Email to from midwife Phil Goff
26/10/10
November 2010
• Waiting lists grow as strikes bite
Christchurch Hospital has spent $243,000 on private MRI scans as it
struggles to control a ballooning waiting list during months of
radiographers' strikes. More than 500 Canterbury patients are on a
waiting list for MRI scans, with a waiting time of up to six
months. ChCh Press 02/11/10
• Enough is Enough, says Waikato DHB Waikato
District Health Board has had enough of ongoing industrial action
by medical radiation technologists and is letting its staff,
patients and the community know.Chief executive Craig Climo today
said DHBs have had hundreds of strike notices over many months from
two unions."We want the public to know we've had enough. The
strikes are having a significant cumulative effect on patients'
access to services and are putting unfair pressure on other
staff.Press Release by Waikato District Health Board at
04/11/10
• GP wait list nears 2000 The number of people
in Horowhenua wanting to register with a doctor has stretched to
nearly 2000 people and continues to grow. One Horowhenua practice
reported turning away an estimated 20 patients a day and Foxton
Medical Centre said they had people ringing weekly and sometimes
daily to register with them, including people from Levin.
Horowhenua Mail 28/10/10
• Millar warns of service cutbacks Outgoing
Southern District Health Board chairman Errol Millar is warning
that health services will have to be cut to satisfy the
Government's budget targets. Health Minister Tony Ryall has offered
virtually no explanation for his decision not to reappoint Mr
Millar other than he wanted someone more suited to the
"consolidation" phase of the new board. Mr Millar said it probably
related to the ongoing deficit that the Southland and Otago boards
had been running for several years. He warned that the only way to
balance the books was to cut health services. Southland Times
06/11/10
• Alexandra Hospital staff fear for patients'
welfare Health workers at Richmond's Alexandra Hospital fear for
their patients under a new proposal put forward by the Nelson
Marlborough District Health Board to close the hospital and
contract care out to private providers. Alexandra Hospital provides
care for psychogeriatric patients, including dementia care, acute
care and long-term, or "continuing" care. Nelson Mail
06/11/10
• Provincial towns hit hard by GP shortage
People in some towns are having to wait several years to get a
doctor in their community due to a gap in the health workforce.
There are not enough General Practitioners (GPs) in New Zealand to
service people's health needs and some people are now choosing
where to live based on the quality of health services. The gap in
the health workforce has become a nationwide problem, but
provincial towns have been hit hardest. Levin resident Maria Whiti
said getting to see a doctor in her community is like a lottery and
she always has her fingers crossed. "You know, you might win [the
lottery] and get a doctor," she said. 08/11/10 ONE News
• Some fee rises from $35 to $42.50 for Under 17
year olds Tony Ryall said a $1 rise would be justified after the 1
Oct GST increase 17/11/10 ringing Capital and Coast GP practices
for under 17 fees* This was later revealed to be the figure
for the over 17s. Raumati practice has a $10 rise
• Cuts to diabetes centre 'broken promise'
Health watchdogs have slammed cuts to the Diabetes Lifestyle
Centre, confirmed yesterday by the MidCentral District Health
Board, as "reprehensible" and incredibly short-sighted. Diabetes
New Zealand president Chris Baty said the decision to cut a nurse
and a half-time administrator from the specialist service was a
huge disappointment given that demand for diabetes services was
going to grow. "None of it makes any sense at all. Manawatu
Standard 17/11/10
• Rest home closure plan sparks protest About
100 people were out protesting the pending closure of Taihape's
Ruanui House rest home yesterday morning, upset with the prospect
of having to shift loved ones out of town for care. This follows
the move into voluntary liquidation by Otaihape Health Ltd.Now the
Whanganui District Health Board is saying there was little chance
of Ruanui remaining open to permanent residents. Wendy Campbell was
among those at yesterday's meeting and said it was her "first ever
protest meeting". Mrs Campbell, who manages Kells Wool at Utiku,
said her parents, Lou and Joan Campbell had only shifted into the
home five months ago. The couple - Lou is 96 and Joan is 93 -
celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in September this year.
"They lived in this area for about 60 years and then moved away but
wanted to come back. So we found them a place in Ruanui and they
love it," Mrs Campbell said. "But this decision has absolutely
gutted us and everyone here," she said. 50 staff are set to lose
their jobs when the health centre closes within three weeks.
Wanganui Chronicle 21/11/10 TVNZ and TV3
December 2010
• Official Information Act requests and district
Annual Plan comparisons between 2009 and 2010 reveal $15 million
cut from Mental Health and Addiction services. Source
documents available 2/12/10
• District's diabetes service slammed Taranaki's
district health board has been slammed for inadequate services for
people with diabetes. Paul Drury, medical director of the New
Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes, was scathing about the
level of service provided. "We are extremely concerned and very
disappointed that Taranaki as a district health board hasn't taken
diabetes seriously over many years," Dr Drury said. "Taranaki has
possibly the most deficient service in the country."Taranaki Daily
News 03/12/10
• Taking $27 Million Out of Health Board Will
Hurt The long awaited Capital & Coast District Health Board
District Annual Plan released today reveals that the DHB will
suffer $27 million in spending reductions. These will hurt
Wellingtonians and need to be reversed," said C&CDHB Board
member David Choat, elected under the banner of Care not
Cuts.Health Minister Tony Ryall has approved the plan submitted by
the previous Board in June.Press Release by Care Not Cuts -
03/1210
• Rest Home Closure Rocks Taihape Taihape
residents are concerned the closure of the rest home will have
further negative effects on health services in the rural town.Lou
and Joan Campbell managed a large station in the district and lived
in Taihape for 60 years. It is their home.Now in their 90s, the
couple wanted to spend the rest of their days in the small rural
town in the central North Island, so five months ago they moved in
to Ruanui House rest home. News the rest home is closing, with
families given two weeks' notice to find alternative care for their
loved ones, has left them devastated.Sixteen elderly residents at
Ruanui will lose their home just before Christmas, after provider
Otaihape Health Limited went into voluntary liquidation. The
Whanganui District Health Board has confirmed the home will be
closed on December 12.New Zealand Farmers' Weekly
06/12/10
• Diabetes patients at risk A claim that poor
care for diabetes patients in the region is putting them at risk of
further serious health problems has been rejected by Bay of Plenty
District Health Board. Three major health groups have slated care
for diabetes patients in eight sample districts including the Bay
of Plenty, where it was claimed one nurse and one part-time doctor
were charged to care for 10,744 patients. But the health board _
which recently also complained about Ministry of Health diabetes
and heart disease figures which it claims are faulty _ says this is
inaccurate. A survey was undertaken by Diabetes New Zealand and the
Society for Study of Diabetes in New Zealand, who issued a joint
statement with the New Zealand Nurses Organisation. Bay of Plenty
Times 6/12/10
• Taranaki DHB District Annual Plan cut $90,000
from Diabetes. Last year the Diabetes Education and Management
funding was $290,452 (page 104)This year's Diabetes Education and
Management funding has dropped to $201,440 (page 82)
• Petition fails to stop rest home closure There
were tears in Taihape as Doug and Vera Wilson's family escorted the
elderly couple out of the town's closing rest home. Eileen
Wilson stroked her mother-in-law's arm and struggled to speak as
the reality of Ruanui rest home's imminent closure took its toll.
"She doesn't really know what's going on," she said. Mr Wilson was
settled into an ambulance by son Rob for his ride to Coombrae rest
home in Feilding, where the couple will be separated by a locked
door. While Mr Wilson needs medical care, his wife will need
dementia care. Man Stnd 09/12/2010
• Threshold raised for eye surgery. Increased
demand for cataract surgery and a lack of capacity to carry out
extra work has resulted in Dunedin Hospital raising the threshold
for such operations. The threshold for the surgery had been
increased by five points on the clinical priority assessment
criteria (CPAC) scoring system. The information used for this is
compiled by the consultant assessing the patient and allocating
scores and also the patient filling out a social score about how
they are affected by their condition. The points now need to add up
to 55 to qualify. Some people visually unfit to drive may have a
long wait before surgery, but Dr Coop said not being fit to drive
was not a sole factor which would qualify a patient for surgery.
ODT 13/12/10
• Patients die waiting for cancer treatment Two
cancer patients have died while waiting for a specialist
appointment at Wellington Hospital as the district health board
struggles to replace a cancer doctor who left nearly two years ago.
Capital & Coast District Health Board's waiting list to see a
medical oncologist - a chemotherapy doctor - has reportedly blown
out to nearly 100 people, though the organisation says the number
is now about half that. Dom Post 16/12/10
Health Cuts since coming to office - by region
Impacts Nationally
• Pies back on the menu in schools Cut anti
obesity, oral health and mental health targets. Ministerial release
8/05/09
• National have taken $2.3 million out of cancer
control. Budget 2009
• Slashed the diabetes 'let's get checked'
budget by $4.8 million each year. Budget 2009
• Cut $3 million from the cardiovascular disease
budget. Budget 2009
• Mental Health services have also had their
funding cut. Budget 2009
• Post budget Treasury documents show that
primary health and health promotion services that target specific
health conditions have had funding cuts of $37 million this
year.
• Tony Ryall this year signed off on a 6.5
percent increase in GP fees the largest increase since fees came
in. NZ Herald 03/06/09
• The Fruit in Schools programme which currently
provides 100,000 children with fresh fruit each day is under
threat. Herald on Sunday 14/06/09
• Senior doctors voted overwhelmingly last
Friday to focus on achieving a pathway to competitive terms and
conditions of employment in our national collective agreement
negotiations with district health boards next year in order to help
overcome the detrimental effects of our medical workforce
crisis ASMS release 06 /12/09
• Release of Cabinet Paper on ACC legislation
confirms no analysis done bon impact of Injury Prevention
Rehabilitation and Compensation Bill changes for the Health system
or the social welfare system - cost shifting surgery onto
health.
• Survey shows spending down on GP visits,
surgery and sports. Research commissioned by Southern Cross
shows Results found the number of people who visited their GP when
they felt unwell fell from 64 per cent in 2008 to 56 per cent this
year. Also, the number of people actively participating in sports,
going to the gym, and dieting for weight loss decreased
significantly. NZ Herald 03/12/09
• Mental health services under the knife in bid
to save millions The sudden closure of a highly regarded recovery
centre for vulnerable teens and young adults in Auckland has been
blamed on funding uncertainty, although critics maintain the
decision to close the Mind Matters Trust house in Titirangi was a
panic response.In Wellington, the Capital and Coast District Health
Board has signalled cuts for mental health services in the new
financial year in a bid to trim $10 million from its community
spending. Agencies are considering severe staffing and service
cuts.In Christchurch, the planned closure of the 198 Youth Centre
on April 30 has sparked protests and marches. The centre provides
general and mental health services. In Gisborne, the Tairawhiti
District Health Board's choice of an Auckland contractor to provide
general mental health services means funding cuts and job losses
for the former contractor, which will now provide Maori services.NZ
Herald 27/03/10
• Sandy Simpson one of NZ's foremost forensic
psychiatrists says cuts to mental health funding will have a
dramatic impact on front-line services.Dr Simpson says the cuts to
the mental health service's administration have meant frontline
staff have had to pick up that work as well as their own. RNZ
30/03/10
• Peter McGeorge Mental Health Commission told
Radio New Zealand he had anecdotal evidence DHBs are breaking into
mental health ring fenced money and that a number of important
community-based mental health providers have had to close due to
lack of funding. RNZ 06/04/10
• Auckland Regional Public Health sheds 12
staff The Auckland Regional Public Health Service is losing 7
per cent of its funding and 12 per cent of its fulltime-equivalent
staffing. The Public Health Association's national executive
officer, Gay Keating, said similar cuts to public health units were
occurring around the country. They would lead to more people having
costly hospital stays for conditions that could have been managed
in the community. The Health Ministry has already cut its public
health budget more than 10 per cent, to around $60 million.
Auckland is likely to lose the family violence reduction scheme and
the oral health promotion scheme. Auckland Public Health will shut
its Henderson and Manukau workplaces, and function exclusively from
its headquarters at the previous National Women's Hospital premises
in Greenlane. RNZ news 12/04/10
• Senior Doctors union Executive Director gives
speech in Canberra listing ways clinicians have not been listening
to under National. He says community and elderly were(so far)
bearing the brunt of health cuts, said the next steps in primary
care had not been thought out ASMS 15/04/10
• Retention of NZ Doctors Under Threat by Higher
Course Fees The New Zealand Medical Association is calling on the
Government to reconsider its stated intention to raise course fees
for medical students saying that such a move will adversely affect
New Zealand's ability to retain doctors in New Zealand NZMA
19/04/10
• Visiting Prof Philip James WHO - obesity
expert - criticises government approach. NZ's obesity controls had
fallen behind the rest of the Western world. He was astonished that
the National Government ditched the rule allowing only healthy
foods to be sold routinely in schools. He said New Zealand
was going against the world trend, even among conservative
governments. Its policy amounted to a subsidy for bad foods and
taught children that eating them was normal. NZ Herald
26/04/10
• The Public Health Association is deeply
disappointed by the announcement that 13 jobs are to go from the
Environmental Health Group at ESR because cuts to essential
services will result. Environmental Health Group staff help control
outbreaks of the flu, meningitis and other illnesses that
communicate from one person to another Media statement
11/05/10
• Health needs extra $555m, CTU says An
additional $555 million is needed in Thursday's Budget to keep the
health system afloat, a new study shows. In the 2009 Budget,
district health board (DHB) funding increased by about $750m. That
was expected to be slashed in half this year, "There is a serious
risk that using such a blunt fiscal instrument will force DHBs to
adopt shock-therapy measures, with the victims being patients," he
said. ChCh Press 17/05/10
• Tony Ryall's statement in Parliament
yesterday, which implied that the Health budget is both keeping up
with inflation and demographic change and will deliver "massively
improved front-line services", does not withstand scrutiny, says
the CTU. A pre-Budget CTU analysis (available at
http://union.org.nz/health-working-papers) showed that a $512
million increase in operational funding for Health was needed
simply to keep up with an estimated 2.4 percent rate of inflation
and an increased and ageing population. However, Treasury and
Reserve Bank forecasts of inflation in 2011 now predict CPI is
likely to rise by between 3.3 percent and 3.9 percent excluding the
increase in GST, adding between $34 million and $58 million to the
"stand still" requirement. Cost shifting as a result of the cuts in
ACC entitlements will also erode the Health budget. The Budget
included new services and restructuring costs of $158 million which
will add a further $118 million, even allowing for productivity
gains, bringing the total shortfall to between $152 million and
$176 million.CTU 16/06/10
• Concerns about collateral damage A survey of
members of Health Care Aotearoa has again raised a concern services
being delivered to vulnerable communities could become collateral
damage in the Government's desire to achieve rapid change in the
sector. The results indicated more than 80 per cent of those
primary health providers surveyed who had funding under review by
district health boards would be subject to cuts, with 80 per cent
of those affected in positions where they considered their overall
viability would be affected, while 33 per cent were still
struggling to assess what specific services would be impacted. NZ
Doctor 16/06/10
• Cuts leave the elderly helpless Grey Power
will complain to the Human Rights Commission that health board cuts
to the elderly's home help is age discrimination. Hundreds of
pensioners who rely on help for home cleaning and groceries have
had their care reduced.The Dominion Post 19/06/10
• Doctor exodus puts pressure on training So
many New Zealand-trained medical registrars are leaving the country
that our top doctors are wondering why we train them at all. Half
of all the medical registrars in their final year of training go
overseas, according to a survey that found the lure of a pay
difference, amounting to $70,000 in Australia, for instance, was
driving the exodus. Powell said the situation was a crisis and
"generally a crisis comes a bit before a collapse". Sunday Star
20/06/10
• "New Budget spending for health is welcomed
but the nursing sector is still bracing itself for service cuts and
restructuring. "NZ Nursing Review June 2010
• Government's Bonding Scheme Won't Solve Senior
Hospital Doctor Shortages Crisis Press Release by Association of
Salaried Medical Specialists 01/07/10
• GP consultations to rise with GST rise Timaru
Herald 6/07/10
• Budget documents reveal $10 million a year
'new' electives money announced in Budget is for rejected ACC
patients flooding the health system Ruth Dyson media release
12/07/10
• Frontline public health programmes slashed
under National: $12 million from tobacco control, $8million of
sexual health promotion and prevention programmes, $1 million from
public health alcohol and drug services, $4 million from mental
health workforce development and $1.2 million from the Like Minds
Like Mine campaign. Ruth Dyson media release 13/07/10
• Ryall:400 Ministry of Health jobs to go The
Ministry of Health is expected to lose nearly 400 staff positions
over 2-1/2 years, Health Minister Tony Ryall says TV3
03/10/10
• NZ doctor numbers in 'parlous state' New
Zealand is facing a doctor shortage crisis as the country continues
to haemorrhage locally trained physicians in large numbers to more
lucrative jobs overseas, the Association of Salaried Medical
Specialists (ASMS) says.ODT 11/10/10
• DHBs: Patients hurt by 'dirty' industrial
tactics DHBs say patients are being harmed by the "dirty"
industrial tactics of unionised radiographers and laboratory
workers and have asked the Government to "review" the right of
health workers to strike. The DHBs have listed potential harms to
patients caused by the current industrial action, including two
patients whose scans were deferred and have now been diagnosed with
inoperable liver cancer. "It is not known if this would have been
treatable if the scan had been done at the time requested two weeks
previously," the DHBs said. At a press conference in Wellington
today, senior DHB bureaucrats and doctors slammed the Medical
Laboratory Workers Union and the Association of Professionals and
Executive Employees, which represents radiographers. NZ Herald
20/10/10
• Official Information Act requests and district
Annual Plan comparisons between 2009 and 2010 reveal $15 million
cut from Mental Health and Addiction services. Source
documents available 2/12/10
Impacts by Region
Northland
• Northland DHB is warning people of delays in
its emergency department as well as the postponement of some
elective surgery and outpatient appointments following notice of
industrial action by medical radiation technologists
(MRTs).Northland District Health Board Media release 06/04/10
• North health bodies face axe Te Tai Tokerau
chief executive Rose Lightfoot said PHOs were vital in improving
access to health services in Northland, but it may be that there
were too many. Ms Lightfoot said PHOs were already pretty careful
with their money, costs and efficiencies. "But we hear the message
that's coming from the minister. Northland is also different,
because it's very large and spread out and the minister needs to
consider our special needs." Northern Advocate 10/02/10
• Patients at a Whangarei medical centre
battling for entry to a government scheme that keeps GP fees under
$17 have started lobbying the health minister. More than 100
patients from the Bush Road Medical Centre have sent a letter
addressed to Tony Ryall saying the practice's exclusion from
the Very Low Cost Access scheme breaches their human
rights by denying equitable funding for general practice care."My
high need exists whether I stay with my practice or decide to join
a practice with high needs funding," reads the letter, written by a
practice partner.NZ Doctor 16/06/10
• 50 jobs on line at DHB Up to 50 jobs are under
threat at the Northland District Health Board (NDHB). A proposed
restructure of its non-clinical staff has been announced. Northern
Advocate 01/1010
Auckland region
• Counties Manukau has cut funding to external
contractors. The cuts include two Maori health programmes and
Auckland University's $200,000-a-year evaluations of the board's
five-year, $10 million scheme to reduce the incidence of type 2
diabetes. NZ Herald
• Waitakere Hospital's emergency department is
only open between 8am and 6.30pm and free A& E vouchers to
White Cross are axed Sept 2009
• Auckland DHB Board papers reveal Board may
have to cut as much as 5%-10%. ADHB may have $150m less. Planning
and Funding officer says when adjusted for inflation "the funding
for next year is like to be less than this year" NZ Herald Big
Health Cuts on the way
• Meals on Wheels cut backs for elderly Janferie
Bryce-Chapman says the meals cost $5.13 each and older people
living alone are at risk of malnutrition. North Shore Times
27/04/10
• Addiction clinic to close after Auckland DHBs
withdraw contracts. The Care NZ clinic in Otahuhu, part of a
national network, has operated for nearly 40 years and serves
several hundred clients. It has been funded under a contract with
the Hutt Valley DHB, and was being "devolved" to the Auckland
boards. But a source said yesterday that the clinic would close in
early August because the Auckland, Waitemata and Counties Manukau
DHBs would not renew its annual grant of around $250,000 NZ Herald
14/05/10
• Starvation Eminent In Prime Minister's
Electorate. Government plan on withdrawing their subsidy for Meals
on Wheels in the Prime Minister's own electorate The service will
cease in September and Grey Power suspect the same will follow in
other areas shortly thereafter Grey Power 28/06/10 ELDERLY west
Auckland patients are being diverted to Takapuna and waiting up to
six hours for treatment because of bed and staff shortages at
Waitakere and North Shore hospitals. The Western Leader knows of at
least two separate cases involving a 78-year-old Titirangi man and
a 70-year-old Henderson woman this month. Western Leader
20/07/10
• Patients on beds at North Shore ED Radio New
Zealand 21/07/10 Junior doctors facing big pay cut Locum rates for
Auckland-based doctors are about to be halved in a move registrars
say will leave shifts uncovered and place more stress on
hard-working staff. But hospital managers say the slashed payment
is to bring locum rates in Auckland into line with other district
health boards around the country. Sunday Star Times
08/08/10
• How the hospital failed my daughter
Leanna Kairua's daughter Veronica endured two weeks of hell at
North Shore Hospital. Veronica, says her mother, went through
unnecessary suffering for a common, though potentially lethal,
complaint. Leanna Kairua witnessed her daughter in terrible pain
while dealing with Third World conditions at North Shore Hospital.
NZ Herald 11/09/10
• Today I did postnatal visits of 5 women; three
homes were very cold with no heating. I have never experienced this
before. Coming to my clinic are women in very poor health with
diets of rice and cheap food. Email to from midwife Phil Goff
26/10/10
Waikato
• Waikato DHB has frozen clinician jobs as well
as admin.The Board agreed to a $20 million savings drive for the
2009/10 financial year in the hope of achieving at least a $10
million surplus. The exact list of targeted activities had not been
made public because some of them may not be valid savings targets,
Mr Climo said. Big cuts ahead at Waikato District Health Board
Waikato Times 26/08/09
• Record numbers hinder ED target Waikato DHB
faces a near-impossible task of achieving the Government's six-hour
emergency department health target by the June 30 deadline. May
figures for the DHB showed a slide in the ED's ability to treat and
discharge or admit 95 per cent of patients within a six-hour time
frame. 79.8 % - a 5 per cent drop on April results where 84.9 %.
DHB acute services assistant group manager Kevin Harris said record
numbers of patients coming into the emergency departments had taken
a toll on achieving the target. And it wasn't people who should be
going to their GP first who were to blame. Waikato Times
12/06/10
• Patients on beds in corridors at Waikato
hospital also RNZ 22/07/10
Enough is Enough, says Waikato DHB Waikato District Health Board
has had enough of ongoing industrial action by medical radiation
technologists and is letting its staff, patients and the community
know.Chief executive Craig Climo today said DHBs have had hundreds
of strike notices over many months from two unions."We want the
public to know we've had enough. The strikes are having a
significant cumulative effect on patients' access to services and
are putting unfair pressure on other staff.Press Release by Waikato
District Health Board at 04/11/10
Tairawhiti
• Tairawhiti DHB announces it will stop surgery
for an unprecedented 6 week period over Christmas and New Year to
save money
• Funding cuts will hurt Men for Change I would
like to express my distress at the decision by Tairawhiti District
Health (TDH) to cut funding for Men for Change. Men for Change is
an organisation that helps men break the cycle of violence, walk
away, have time out and learn new skills to cope with what is
causing the violence. Gisborne Herald 31/03/10
• TURANGA Health says it will lose 15 staff and
$400,000 in revenue after Tairawhiti District Health Board chose an
Auckland organisation to work with mental health patients in the
community.The move is a "kick in the guts" to Turanga Health, who
had provided mental health services in Gisborne for 13 years, says
chief executive Reweti Ropiha."We eat and breathe local. We are not
going anywhere over the next 10 to 15 years, our loyalties are to
Gisborne . . . we are bitterly disappointed with the board's
decision," he said. Gisborne Herald 24/03/10
• Major reshaping for Wairoa Health body.
District likely to lose its PHO."I'm worried that decisions about
Wairoa health will not be made by Wairoa people as there are no
Wairoa people on the DHB" said Margie Sullivan Gisborne
Herald 25/06/10
• Beds for elderly in short supply ELDERLY
people seeking residential or respite care could be forced to go
out of the district as Gisborne retirement homes approach full
capacity. Hospital-level and dementia care beds are the most
critical, as pressure on residential beds for the aged persists,
says Tairawhiti District Health planning, funding and population
health manager Helene Carbonatto."This is a short issue but it will
be a very painful one for 12 months," Ms Carbonatto told the
community, public health and disability support advisory committee
this week. Gisborne Herald 26 /082010
Bay of Plenty
• Iwi lead charge against hospital mortuary
closure. Health board chief operating officer Phillip Balmer last
month said the mortuary was being closed because it cost too much -
about $2.5 million - to upgrade. Bay of Plenty Times 13/01/10
• Dispute halts kids' B4 school checks Free
before-school health checks for 4-year-olds in the Western Bay will
not be operated by the region's primary health organisation from
next month following a funding dispute. The impact of failing to
continue the checks would mean the health of children starting
school would be compromised, Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health
Organisation has warned.Bay of Plenty Times 30/01/10
• Gemini Nursing Services Ltd is a nurse-led
practice providing nursing services to low income people in
Tauranga and Te Puke. The PHO has recently advised them that
their funding has been cut. The practice has been running for
3.5 years and last year saw over 4,800 patients. The practice
employs 4 nurses (2 FTE and 2 part-time). They have a weekly
clinic with the local Turning Point Trust (health checks for
patients with mental illness, see and a weekly clinic in Te Puke
used by seasonal workers and those who cannot afford to see their
GP. Email to Ruth Dyson 24/05/10
• Bay of Plenty DHB cut Curruth Edlerly
Day Care facility in Tauranga (private correspondence from
constituent)
• Diabetes patients at risk A claim that poor
care for diabetes patients in the region is putting them at risk of
further serious health problems has been rejected by Bay of Plenty
District Health Board. Three major health groups have slated care
for diabetes patients in eight sample districts including the Bay
of Plenty, where it was claimed one nurse and one part-time doctor
were charged to care for 10,744 patients. But the health board _
which recently also complained about Ministry of Health diabetes
and heart disease figures which it claims are faulty _ says this is
inaccurate. A survey was undertaken by Diabetes New Zealand and the
Society for Study of Diabetes in New Zealand, who issued a joint
statement with the New Zealand Nurses Organisation. Bay of Plenty
Times 6/12/10
Hawkes Bay
• Work Disrupted: Two weeks of industrial action
by specialists starts tomorrow. Hawke's Bay Hospital is bracing for
two weeks without radiology services with the union for 40 local
staff members announcing they will strike in protest of a wage
freeze.Hawkes Bay 25/02/10
• Our story sparks 'gagging' letter A stern
letter from Hawke's Bay DHB has left PHO managers in the district
worried about speaking to the media.The confidential letter (21 May
2009), addressed to Wairoa PHO chair Ian Redshaw, demanded an
apology for Wairoa PHO manager Margie Sullivan's comments in New
Zealand Doctor (20 May 2009) concerning the DHB's, to that point,
inflexible response to questions about a $35,000 bill for mistakes
in general practice enrolment forms. Since then, Ms Sullivan says
she and other PHO managers have felt unsure what they can or cannot
talk about and almost like they can't say anything at all. Another
Hawke's Bay PHO manager, Tu Meke's Lynda Creighton, actually drew
New Zealand Doctor's attention to the letter's existence, citing it
as the reason she wouldn't be saying "anything radical".NZ Doctor
16/06/10
• Hawke's Bay District Health Board has received
five notices of industrial action by Medical Radiation
Technologists (MRT) who are members of APEX (Association of
Professionals and Executive Employees).This includes Medical
Radiation Technologists, Darkroom Technicians, Radiology Clinical
Assistants, Student Medical Radiation Technologists, Sonographers
or Student Trainee Sonographers and PACS administrators. Press
Release by Hawke's Bay District Health Board 23/07/10
Addiction centre fights to stay put Residential addiction centres
are a threatened species, says a grim-faced Dr Tim Bevin. There are
four publicly-funded residential centres for drug and alcohol
addiction in the Bay. But given New Zealand's attitude towards
alcohol alone, few would disagree with Dr Bevin when he says
there's an ever-growing need for these centres. Which is why he and
the other five members of the Springhill Residential Addiction
Centre Trust are determined to hold on to their Napier site. It
won't be an easy task. The Springhill Addiction Centre needs to
find funding to the tune of $2 million to continue to run from its
current site. Hawkes Bay Today 14/08/10
Mid Central
• Dannevirke outpatients clinic cut Manawatu
Standard
• A total of 12.5 nursing positions chopped
across the Palmerston North hospital's main surgical, medical and
child health wards, neonates, coronary care, intensive care and the
high dependency unit. $10millions in 'savings' Manawatu
Standard
• 10 surgical beds closed at MidCentral DHB DHB
March Board Minutes Tangimoana residents fume over nurse cuts
Clinic hours have been cut from 20 to eight hours, while opening
days dropped from six to two a week, following a Primary Health
Organisation (PHO) review. Manawatu Standard 17/03/2010
• Dying patients, people needing intensive
rehabilitation and the elderly will all be hit by proposed health
cuts in the Manawatu. The DHB confirmed it plans to make cuts and
changes to its services that will save $2.7 million a year. Axing
the overnight district nursing service, which provides care to
patients, many of whom are terminally ill, in their homes. Dominion
Post 22/04/10
• Loss of a free and confidential sexual health
service that is available to everyone in the MidCentral Health
district would be disturbing, says Women's Health Collective member
Jean Hera. "I don't understand how primary health is going to pick
up all these clients." Man. Std 28/04/10
• Cuts fears cloud celebration. The Palmerston
North Diabetes Lifestyle Centre marked its 30th anniversary this
week under the threat of service cuts. The Centre has established
itself as a centre of excellence, recognised nationally and
internationally and upon which specialist diabetes services in
other centres have been modelled," Dr Dixon said. Another speaker
sounding a warning not to tamper with diabetes services was Paul
Drury, medical director of the New Zealand Society for the Study of
Diabetes. The incidence of diabetes is growing by about 8 per
cent a year across New Zealand, and resources would have to be put
into dealing with the "tsunami" of diabetes that was affecting
communities and hitting people younger. Man Stnd 1/05/10
• District face health cuts Norma Evans of Grey
Power -"these health cuts are just going to snow ball and I'm
worried more cuts will come. This is just the start" "Some of
our older people can't reach their toes to cut their toenails and
they are charged $60 if they go to a podiatrist" I had a friend who
had skin cancer and had been seen locally by a Dr in Oct but her
appointment on the waiting list had fallen through the cracks - I'm
getting more and more accounts of this sort of thing happening"
Dannevirkes Glennis McDonald recently attended Grey Power
conference in ChCh and says they have 80,000 membership. "Our
membership is on the rise because elder people are concerned about
health issues" Dannevirke News 03/05/10
• Health cuts 'too deep' - community Nurses
carried a coffin down Levin's main street yesterday, in defence of
Star4, the Horowhenua Health Centre's assessment, treatment, and
rehabilitation ward. Despite plans to cut $9 million from patient
services, the MidCentral District Health Board has approved
spending more than $1.4m on new computer software. Manawatu
Standard 20/05/10
• Reprieve won for medical centre Horowhenua has
won a $1.2 million reprieve for its health centre, and 10 medical
and nursing jobs are safe for now following a MidCentral Health
backdown. Man Std 22/05/10
• Stay quiet on health cuts, staff warned
Midcentral Health staff have been told not to bother patients about
proposed health service cuts. said chief executive Murray Georgel
in a staff newsletter about the financial recovery plan and its
goal of finding $10 million in savings. "These are challenging
times for us as an organisation," he said. "Please continue to
provide timely, efficient and safe patient care while any questions
or feedback about our financial recovery programme can be directed
to me, to general managers, or to directors within MidCentral
Health."Man Std 05/06/10
• Pressure builds against cuts About 120 people
braved bitterly cold temperatures in Palmerston North's Square to
protest MidCentral District Health Board cuts. Sixteen speakers
called for the community to put pressure on the board and the
Government to stop planned "changes" to frontline health services.
"They tell us this is not about cuts, but about change. Well, I beg
to differ," said Manawatu Stewart Centre manager Janet Webb.Man Std
10/06/2010
• Scaled-back proposals for cuts at MidCentral
Health's Diabetes Lifestyle Centre still don't wash with Diabetes
Manawatu secretary Kathy Scott. The option of slashing the jobs of
five nurses, a dietitian and an office worker has been put
alongside a less-drastic second option that would see just one
nurse and a part-time administrator out of work. "It would mean
there would be no service when that one nurse was sick or on leave,
and to try to work without a dietitian would be no service at all."
Man Std 6/07/10
• 12 jobs cut after PHO merger Twelve management
and administration jobs have been cut from MidCentral's four
primary health organisations, saving $378,000. Manawatu,
Tararua, Horowhenua and Otaki PHOs, merged into one Central PHO at
the start of July. Man Std 10/07/10 Cuts to nursing services
granted Cuts to rehabilitation and district nursing services have
been approved without a murmur of dissent by the MidCentral
District Health Board. It is estimated the changes will contribute
$478,000 in savings towards the board's attempts to cut $10 million
from its spending. Man Std 22/07/10
• Deaf Mental Health services cut in Mid Central
region by private correspondence 20/09/10
• Hours cuts may kill youth cancer service The
support service for adolescents and young people in cancer
treatment at Palmerston North Hospital is facing a cut so serious
its defenders fear it might not survive. The cut back in hours - to
three-tenths and four-tenths of full-time jobs in a
three-day-a-week service - has been sparked by the Health Ministry
cutting the budget to $61,000 a year. Manawatu Std
02/10/10
• GP wait list nears 2000 The number of people
in Horowhenua wanting to
register with a doctor has stretched to nearly 2000 people and
continues to grow. One Horowhenua practice reported turning away an
estimated 20 patients a day and Foxton Medical Centre said they had
people ringing weekly and sometimes daily to register with them,
including people from Levin. Horowhenua Mail 28/10/10
• Provincial towns hit hard by GP shortage
People in some towns are having to wait several years to get a
doctor in their community due to a gap in the health workforce.
There are not enough General Practitioners (GPs) in New Zealand to
service people's health needs and some people are now choosing
where to live based on the quality of health services. The gap in
the health workforce has become a nationwide problem, but
provincial towns have been hit hardest. Levin resident Maria Whiti
said getting to see a doctor in her community is like a lottery and
she always has her fingers crossed. "You know, you might win [the
lottery] and get a doctor," she said. 08/11/10 ONE News
• GP shortfall drives up fees Masterton
Medical's fees have increased more than other practices to help
cover the cost of bringing three doctors from the United States and
Britain to meet staff shortages.Fees went up across Wairarapa
medical practices on October 1 to cover the GST rise but at
Masterton Medical the fees rose slightly more to cover rising
costs. The practice has increased its standard fees by $4 for 25 to
65-year-olds - meaning a trip to the doctor now costs $35 for that
age group. Wairarapa Times 22/10/10
• Cuts to diabetes centre 'broken promise'
Health watchdogs have slammed cuts to the Diabetes Lifestyle
Centre, confirmed yesterday by the MidCentral District Health
Board, as "reprehensible" and incredibly short-sighted. Diabetes
New Zealand president Chris Baty said the decision to cut a nurse
and a half-time administrator from the specialist service was a
huge disappointment given that demand for diabetes services was
going to grow. "None of it makes any sense at all. Manawatu
Standard 17/11/10
Taranaki
• Taranaki DHB has publicly signalled that its
hospital is preparing for cut backs. "Health Services get the
knife" Taranaki Daily New 10/03/09
• ACC refuses to pay for wheelchair for Taranaki
amputee who is told to go and ask the local DHB for funding
Taranaki Daily News
• Mary Bourke DHB Board Member candid on ACC
squeeze "So effectively, madam chair, what we are talking about
here is that ACC is trying to cut down on its costs by shoving its
responsibilities on to someone else?" Yes, came the answer.
Taranaki Daily News 27/01/10
• Taranaki sources, who did not wish to be
named, yesterday said grave fears existed that this was already
happening. Mr Coleman's spokesman said this was incorrect.
"The Government has not said that DHBs can tap into mental health
budgets. The Government has actually told DHBs that the ring fence
remains in place." The news delighted Mental Health Foundation
chief executive Judi Clements, of Auckland. "There was concern that
it might be happening though it was not official," Dr Clements
said. Taranaki Daily News 16/04/10
• Looming staff cuts cause angst. Looming cuts
to staff and services in Taranaki's public hospitals are cause for
serious concern, a representative for health workers says. Public
Service Association organiser Peter Ireland said yesterday that any
suggestion of cuts to staff was worrying. "There is extreme concern
about what is happening overall in the health sector," he
said. Taranaki Daily News 20/04/10
• Health deficit tops $8 million. DHB Committee
member Nic Boheimer said there were moral and ethical questions
about reducing any services which were by-products of health. "Pain
is a by-product of hospitals. "Having no pain management
service would be like having a toilet with no toilet paper."
Taranaki Daily News 28/04/10
• Inglewood retiree Bob Taylor is challenging
the Government to get its priorities right after he was declined a
second cataract operation. Mr Taylor, 72, was delighted when he had
a successful cataract operation on his left eye about four months
back which returned sight to that eye. "I was in a pretty bad way.
It gave me great sight." But when he tried to get his blurry right
eye fixed, he was sent a letter from the Taranaki District Health
Board telling him he would not get the second operation and to
return to his GP for care.Taranaki Daily News
02/09/10
• TDHB in red at start of year Just one month
into the new financial year, the Taranaki District Health Board's
hospital services are already $460,000 in the red. The July result
was announced at the board's meeting in New Plymouth and comes on
the heels of a $7.88 million loss the previous year. Taranaki Daily
News11/09/10
• District's diabetes service slammed Taranaki's
district health board has been slammed for inadequate services for
people with diabetes. Paul Drury, medical director of the New
Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes, was scathing about the
level of service provided. "We are extremely concerned and very
disappointed that Taranaki as a district health board hasn't taken
diabetes seriously over many years," Dr Drury said. "Taranaki has
possibly the most deficient service in the country."Taranaki Daily
News 03/12/10
• Taranaki DHB District Annual Plan cut $90,000
from Diabetes. Last year the Diabetes Education and Management
funding was $290,452 (page 104)This year's Diabetes Education and
Management funding has dropped to $201,440 (page 82)
Whanganui
• Whanganui DHB has said it will be closing
hospital wards on weekends to save money on nursing overtime. "
Hospital looks to close wards at weekends" Wanganui Chronicle 26
/06/09
• Surgeon slates MP's health claims.
Surgeon Clive Solomon disputes elective surgery figures used by
Simon Power in his newsletter "Almost anything can be
considered an elective operation and by Mr Power's figures we have
no idea whether an elective case represents a hip replacement, a
liver transplant, a hernia repair or removal of a pimple or a
splinter," Wanganui Chronicle 5/5/10
• Hospital may axe staff to cut deficit Staff
cuts are looming at the Whanganui District Health Board as the
health service battles to live within a constricting budget.
Wanganui Chronicle 31/05/10
• Dozens of jobs face axe DHB management is
refusing to confirm how many people will lose their jobs - from
report Safely Reducing our Spending Wanganui Chronicle 14/06/10
Taihape health care on last legs Otaihape Health is facing a budget
deficit of $500,000 for the 2010-11 year and wages are a major
component. Mr Hefford said Otaihape Health had three options -
continue the status quo, agree to a cost and funding restructure
with the WDHB and staff, or quit. Whanganui Chronicle 7/07/10
• Health board budget still under strain despite
cuts In spite of taking the axe to staff numbers, Wanganui's health
board budget remains on a knife edge. That assessment was delivered
by Whanganui District Health Board chief executive Julie Patterson
at the board's latest meeting. Wanganui Chronicle 06/10/10
• Rest home closure plan sparks protest About
100 people were out protesting the pending closure of Taihape's
Ruanui House rest home yesterday morning, upset with the prospect
of having to shift loved ones out of town for care. This follows
the move into voluntary liquidation by Otaihape Health Ltd.Now the
Whanganui District Health Board is saying there was little chance
of Ruanui remaining open to permanent residents. Wendy Campbell was
among those at yesterday's meeting and said it was her "first ever
protest meeting". Mrs Campbell, who manages Kells Wool at Utiku,
said her parents, Lou and Joan Campbell had only shifted into the
home five months ago. The couple - Lou is 96 and Joan is 93 -
celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in September this year.
"They lived in this area for about 60 years and then moved away but
wanted to come back. So we found them a place in Ruanui and they
love it," Mrs Campbell said. "But this decision has absolutely
gutted us and everyone here," she said. 50 staff are set to lose
their jobs when the health centre closes within three
weeks.Wanganui Chronicle 21/11/10
• Rest Home Closure Rocks Taihape Taihape
residents are concerned the closure of the rest home will have
further negative effects on health services in the rural town.Lou
and Joan Campbell managed a large station in the district and lived
in Taihape for 60 years. It is their home.Now in their 90s, the
couple wanted to spend the rest of their days in the small rural
town in the central North Island, so five months ago they moved in
to Ruanui House rest home. News the rest home is closing, with
families given two weeks' notice to find alternative care for their
loved ones, has left them devastated.Sixteen elderly residents at
Ruanui will lose their home just before Christmas, after provider
Otaihape Health Limited went into voluntary liquidation. The
Whanganui District Health Board has confirmed the home will be
closed on December 12.New Zealand Farmers' Weekly
06/12/10
• Petition fails to stop rest home closure There
were tears in Taihape as Doug and Vera Wilson's family escorted the
elderly couple out of the town's closing rest home. Eileen
Wilson stroked her mother-in-law's arm and struggled to speak as
the reality of Ruanui rest home's imminent closure took its toll.
"She doesn't really know what's going on," she said. Mr Wilson was
settled into an ambulance by son Rob for his ride to Coombrae rest
home in Feilding, where the couple will be separated by a locked
door. While Mr Wilson needs medical care, his wife will need
dementia care. Man Stnd 09/12/2010
Wairarapa
• WDHB would like to cut at least $200,000 out
of the WCPHO contract. This equates to 42% of the
discretionary money that the WDHB fund.The board asked why the WDHB
hadn't told the WCPHO during the Clinical Services Action Plan
process. The cuts have come out of the blue. The board were
very unhappy with the process.There has yet to be any discussion
regarding the devolution of services from primary to
secondary.Wairarapa Community PHO Board Meeting Minutes
27/08/09
• Managers' jobs face cut in DHB shake-up
Cash-strapped Wairarapa District Health Board plans to axe the
equivalent of about 10 management jobs in a bid to slash costs
while throwing more money toward frontline clinicians. ''The cost
of service delivery is outstripping the funding we
receive.''Wairarapa Times Age 27/03/10
• Anger over mother left in faeces A Masterton
woman is upset at Wellington Hospital after her mother was
allegedly left lying in her own faeces for three hours.The
65-year-old woman, who has a bowel condition, was not attended to
last Thursday afternoon despite buzzing every half an hour, her
daughter said yesterday. Wairarapa Times Age 24/06/10 ACC
thrift leaves shortfall Belt-tightening within the Accident
Compensation Corporation (ACC) is hurting Wairarapa Hospital's
balance sheets as the national personal accident insurer approves
fewer operations. Wairarapa DHB has lost about $80,000 in payments
since the start of the year after it went ahead with surgery that
ACC later wouldn't cover. ACC is taking longer to rubber-stamp
compensation for surgeries but, for the sake of patient health and
safety, Wairarapa Hospital often has to carry out the operations
regardless. Wairarapa Times-Age 30/09/10
Wellington region
• Cut up to 50 docs - hospital's secret report A
secret razor gang of health board managers, Health Ministry
officials and external consultants advises cutting up to 50 doctors
and outsourcing some specialties to solve Capital and Coast's
financial woes. A draft of a confidential report leaked to The
Dominion Post shows Capital and Coast's deficit is set to balloon
to $48.4 million by 2009-10 unless urgent action is taken to
address the underlying causes. Dominion Post 01/01/09
• Phone assessments result in less aid At least
40 people between 80-90 have hours cut (Kapiti) Dominion Post
30/01/10
• Nephew takes on fight over home help cuts -
The nephew of an 86-year-old stroke victim has battled to regain
her home help after the service was slashed over the phone.
Wainuiomata reports 35 cuts and loss of service viability Dominion
Post 8/02/10
• Wellington Hospital trims 49 management roles.
Doctors and nurses who hold management roles are among nearly 50
staff at Wellington Hospital waiting to hear if they have lost
their jobs. Ian Powell, director of the Association of
Salaried Medical Specialists, the senior doctors' union, said that,
although no clinical staff were being cut, he was worried the
changes could make their jobs harder. "Most of the time those
so-called back-room positions actually help clinicians to do their
work." Dominion Post 8/02/10
• Board looks at further health cuts.The
Wellington district health board has cut contracts to medication
management and cardiovascular risk assessments and has reduced
funding for respiratory education. Kapiti Observer 09/04/10
• Under 6s fee at Kenepuru puts young lives at
risk Paediatrician Nikki Blair asks CCDHB to remove fees.
Board will report back in June. Starship doctors agree
Dominion Post 07/04110
• $20m cuts will hit patients. Patients will
lose frontline services in a plan to slash $10 million from primary
health services in Wellington and Kapiti, primary health groups
say. Capital & Coast District Health Board has provided The
Dominion Post with details of primary health contracts it plans to
cut or review this year and next year in order to save $10m. It is
also planning to cut its hospital budget by $17m. The board, which
has a $857m budget, wants to find savings of $27m as part of a plan
to get rid of its deficit within three years. Moves include
cancelling contracts to teach patients how to self-manage long-term
conditions, cutting a refugee health service and ending some
funding that provided longer doctor appointments for
cardio-vascular patients. The board is also reviewing funding for
court-based alcohol and drug counselling, immunisation and youth
sexual health services. Dominion Post 12/0410
• Regional Public Health will shed 9.3 full-time
equivalent staff most of them working in health promotion roles if
a proposed major re-structure is adopted. RPH is part of the Hutt
Valley District Health Board but has roles in chronic disease, the
medical officer of health role, health promotion, emergency
preparedness and disease control for the Wellington region. It has
144.1 (FTE (full-time equivalent) staff. Hutt News 11/05/10
• Father despairs at delays in 'urgent'
surgery.Twelve-year-old Kirstie Wake has waited more than two years
for surgery to treat her scoliosis during which time her spine has
curved to 100 degrees. The father of a 12-year-old girl - confined
to a wheelchair and unable to attend school because of a series of
cancelled operations - has hit out at the "systematic breakdown" of
the health system. "I've gone past frustration to complete
despair," her father, Gary, said. Auckland District Health Board
insisted yesterday that the delays were necessary, and said Kirstie
would get her operation. The Dominion Post 15/05/10
• Harsh home help cut hurts sick pensioner Vicky
Drew's home help was cut from 90 minutes a week to 60 minutes a
fortnight, several months after a telephone assessment by her local
health board. (Kapiti)The 85-year-old has two artificial knees,
needs a hip replacement and has two vertebrae out of place, one of
which is fractured NZ Herald 17/05/10
• Paraparaumu College - has had a weekly visit
from a nurse, then it was cut back to fortnightly, and now there
will be no visits from 1 July. Previously funded by Hutt
Valley DHB. Email to Ruth Dyson 20/05/10
• Wainuiomata is losing 4 Doctors on 1st July.
There will only be two doctors left and they are not going to be
replaced. Email to Ruth Dyson 24/05/10
• Wellington Hospital staff sent home to save
cash Elective surgery and other services at Wellington Hospital
will be cut for a week while staff are sent on leave to save
money.The Resident Doctors Association fears patient safety will be
compromised but Capital & Coast District Health Board says
there will be little effect on patients Dominion Post
27/05/10
• Plans to close Kenepuru overnight emergency
services between 11pm and 8am to save money RNZ News
27/05/10
• Hutt health group says funding cuts will hit
high needs patients A Hutt primary health organisation (PHO) with
92 per cent of patients classified as "high needs" says it's being
forced to cut frontline staff hours and/or increase fees because of
funding cuts. Piki Te Ora ki Te Awakairangi has 12,600 patients
enrolled with the Hutt Union (HUCHS) practices in Petone and
Pomare, Whai Oranga in Wainuiomata and the Pacific Health Service
in Naenae. HUCHs manager Sally Nicholl says discretionary funding
to the PHO from the Hutt Valley District Health Board is to be
halved (to about $300,000) and it's also expecting lower Govt
fundingHutt News 15/06/10
• Budget cuts raise cost of GP visits for poorer
patients Patients in some of the poorest parts of Lower Hutt will
pay more for doctors' visits, with funding to a local health
organisation set to be cut.The move has sparked fears that
low-income patients may stop going to their GPs, get sicker and end
up in hospital. The Hutt-based Piki te Ora Primary Health
Organisation will have $95,000 cut from its budget from July 1 -
money used to subsidise the cost of healthcare for people unable to
afford doctors' visits.Dom Post 17/06/10
• Reduction in activity for DHB goes ahead A
"planned reduction in activity" has gone ahead this week as the
Capital and Coast District Health Board (CCDHB) tries to save money
Some elective surgeries and non-essential support services would
not be scheduled for this week and some staff had been asked to
take annual leave, starting from today NZPA 21/06/10
• Constant' offending a cry for DHB's help A
judge has sided with a solvents abuser, convicted thief and "old
friend", urging health authorities to cut through the "bureaucratic
logjams" that have seen her wait months for treatment. Upper Hutt
Leader 21/07/10
• Te Whai Oranga O Te Iwi Health Centre a Maori
Health Centre in Wainuiomata losing 4 doctors on 1 July email
• OIA reply from Capital and Coast DHB reveals
almost $5 million cut in mental health provision for 2010/2011
15/07/10 Dementia patient in jail over 'three strikes' case A
69-year-old with Parkinson's disease and mild dementia is in
Rimutaka Prison awaiting a "three strikes" offence hearing, as
neither his home for the disabled nor his family will take him
in.Dom Post 20/07/10 Lack of funds harming kids' health says report
Children are subsidising adults in primary care, says a report to
Capital & Coast DHB's board meeting tomorrow, as members
grapple with how to correct "disadvantage" in investment in child
health. Dom Post 03/08/10
• I can't cut any more, says outgoing DHB
boss.Wellington's district health board chief has quit, saying he
cannot cut costs any further without undermining patient care. In
an email to staff explaining his reasons for leaving his
$430,000-a-year job, he said there was no more room to cut the
district health board's costs, despite Government pressure to do
so. "I cannot see where any more major efficiency can come from
without negatively impacting on services." Dom Post 06/08/10
• Carry on cutting, Ryall tells DHB Health
Minister Tony Ryall has made it clear the Government wants further
savings from Wellington's district health board, despite warnings
that any more efficiencies will hurt health services. Capital &
Coast District Health Board chief executive Ken Whelan announced
his resignation last week after more than two years at the helm.
Dom Post 09/08/10
• Home help for elderly slashed to save money.
Up to 500 elderly or disabled people who receive help around the
house will have their assistance axed as Wellington's district
health board tries to save money. Capital & Coast District
Health Board announced yesterday that people receiving household
management help only and not personal health care would have that
help cut unless they had a community services card. From Monday,
any new patients referred for a home-help assessment will not be
eligible for help with cleaning, heavy lifting, meal preparation or
shopping unless they also need personal health and hygiene care.
Existing household management-only clients who do not have a
community services card will have their help cut at their first
re-assessment after December 1. Dom Post 03/09/10
• Tight finances will dominate Hutt Valley
health board's next triennium Peter Glensor, who has chaired the
board for the last seven years, says the signal from the Government
is that DHBs can expect lower increases in funding for several
years ahead. "Even if the recession were to end tomorrow, the
Government's finances will continue to bottom out for some time to
come," he says. Vote Health is the single biggest beneficiary of
government spending and up until this year, taxpayers have pumped
in an extra $750 million or so per annum. But in the May Budget the
increase was trimmed to $500m. HVDHB, which on a population basis
gets 3.8 per cent of the national funding, was already grappling
with a budget blowout which required it to find $10m in savings
just to finish $4.5m in the red. Hutt News 07/09/10 Health cuts hit
home Home support workers are facing another blow to
already-reduced working hours as changes to household support on
Monday could see their hours cut further. Since last year many home
support workers have lost working hours after district health
boards slashed the number of free cleaning and household support
hours for elderly and disabled people. Workers are facing further
cuts after Capital and Coast District Health Board announced new
referrals for household support would only be eligible for people
with a community services care, and who did not receive personal
care. Kapiti Observer 10/09/10
• Some fee rises for under 17 year olds at
Capital and Coast DHB practices have risen from $35 to
$42.50. Tony Ryall said a $1 rise would be justified after
the 1 Oct GST increase.
• Taking $27 Million Out of Health Board Will
Hurt The long awaited Capital & Coast District Health Board
District Annual Plan released today reveals that the DHB will
suffer $27 million in spending reductions. These will hurt
Wellingtonians and need to be reversed," said C&CDHB Board
member David Choat, elected under the banner of Care not
Cuts.Health Minister Tony Ryall has approved the plan submitted by
the previous Board in June. Press Release by Care Not Cuts -
03/1210
• Patients die waiting for cancer treatment Two
cancer patients have died while waiting for a specialist
appointment at Wellington Hospital as the district health board
struggles to replace a cancer doctor who left nearly two years ago.
Capital & Coast District Health Board's waiting list to see a
medical oncologist - a chemotherapy doctor - has reportedly blown
out to nearly 100 people, though the organisation says the number
is now about half that. Dom Post 16/12/10
Nelson/ Marlborough
• $2million cut in mental health services Nelson
Mental health funding on chopping block Nelson Mail
• Elderly and ailing people in Murchison may be
forced to end their lives away from home after speculation the NM
District Health Board intends to close aged-care beds in Murchison
Hospital. Nelson Mail 23/04/10
• Little hospital help for eye patients. People
needing certain eye operations at Nelson Hospital will have to get
worse or go private, due to Nelson Marlborough District Health
Board limiting eye surgery for all but urgent cases The Nelson Mail
29/04/2010
• Mental health funding cut The Nelson
Marlborough District Health Board will slash $1.51 million from
mental health services in the district. The cuts are being made
partly as a result of the board's Rutherford Initiative, aimed at
making savings in community and hospital health services. They
would address a forecast $1.8m mental health overspend, the board
said in a statement. Key people in affected organisations said they
were reeling from this body blow to mental health services.
However, they felt unable to speak on the record while contract
negotiations with the board were underway. "It is an indicator of
people's insecurity that they won't be quoted," said one
representative. The cuts were slammed as hitting a vulnerable group
lacking a strong voice. Nelson Mail The Marlborough Express
25/05/10 News
• Daughter pays nurse to help at hospital.
Golden Bay resident Victoria Davis spent $1000 hiring a nurse to
care for her mother in Nelson Hospital after she says staff told
her to hire outside help because they were too overworked to look
after her. Ms Davis is also angered that a Nelson rest home missed
the severe bladder infection that landed her mother, Josephine
Fargo, 87, in hospital with septicaemia when the infection spread
to her blood. Dominion Post 29/05/10
• Golden Bay's mental health service, Te Whare
Mahana, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), will need money from
charities if it is avoid cutting services. Nelson Marlborough
District Health Board is to slash $1.5 million from mental health
services across the district in the next financial year and NGOs
will be hardest hit - they receive 25 per cent of the total mental
health funding but suffered 40 per cent of the budget cuts. Te
Whare Mahana manager Jo Johnson described the regional cuts as
"shocking and "a big blow". She said mental health was already
underfunded. The Nelson Mail 1/05/10
• Managers face axe in health shakeup The heads
of senior managers are on the chopping block at Nelson Marlborough
District Health Board as rising costs and demands on health
services force a restructure of its strategic leadership team. The
sweeping review will mean that all members of the current team will
have to apply for new positions, with only chief executive John
Peters' job safe.The Nelson Mail 04/06/10
• Another hospital ordeal Nelson Hospital nurses
told her they were too busy to care for her husband is urging
people to speak out about working conditions in the hospital's
medical ward. In September last year Nelson man William Evans, 85,
was in hospital after suffering his seventh stroke. Mr Evans uses
incontinence products, and his wife, Liz Evans, said a nurse told
her she was too busy to shower him. Mrs Evans, who usually cares
fulltime for her husband at home, showered him at the hospital
herself. "I said `Is this legal?' She said `No, but it's on your
head if there's an accident'." The Nelson Mail
05/06/10
• Board finding 'not surprising' In February, Ms
Davis paid a private nurse $1000 to come into Nelson Hospital to
care for her mother, 87-year-old Josephine Fargo, who was in
hospital with septicaemia. "We're looking at an investigation of a
body by a body," Ms Davis said. "If a nurse had come out and
admitted she did say that, there would be consequences. Whether any
of the staff feel free to speak candidly about what happened will
be dependent on how they think it will affect their working
environment." The Nelson Mail 04/06/10
• Drug, alcohol centre loses funding St Marks
Adult Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre, in Blenheim, had a $70,000
contract with the Health Ministry to treat people with convictions.
Centre manager Lois Miller said the contract funded two beds for 12
months. Marlborough Express 24/06/10
• OIA request to Nelson Marlborough DHB reveals
$600,000 cut to mental health provision for 2010/2011
25/06/10
• Mental health groups respond to cuts Mental
health support providers say Nelson Marlborough District Health
Board's $1.54 million budget cuts are alarming, and that the
long-term effects on the mentally ill are unknown. Representatives
of 18 non-government organisations (NGOs) are writing a report for
the board on how the cuts will affect clients, and plan to deliver
it in the next month. Co-chairman of the top of the south mental
health NGO provider network, Te Ara Mahi manager Peter Rees, said
NGOs and families didn't know what the changes would mean "on the
ground". "The outcomes have alarmed our service users and their
families." Nelson Mail 09/08/10
• Funding cut hurts On July 1, Helping Hands
lost funding for a half-time employment support worker. Before
Helping Hands, Peter Tinirau would just sit at home. He says
working gave him what he calls "my firepower - my life source". But
work can be hard to come by in Golden Bay, particularly if you have
mental health issues. Helping Hands made all the difference to him.
The Takaka centre gave him structure and an extra $60-$80 a week on
top of his "incredibly low" benefit. Without it, he believes the
other option was to be "locked up inside". "It's something to get
out of bed for if you're not too well," he says. The centre's only
funding now is from the Ministry of Social Development, which funds
it for 35 clients. Nelson Mail 10/08/10
• Painful financial times for health services
Nelson and Marlborough health services face a prolonged and painful
bout of restructuring after the district health board signalled it
was doubling the amount it must save to $20 million if it is to
meet the Government's demand that it break even within three
years.Nelson Mail 27/08/2010
• Rest home finally bows to struggle Staff,
trustees and families of residents of the Joan Whiting Rest Home in
Collingwood, Golden Bay's only rest home, are "heartbroken" the
home is to close on November 30 after a long and painful struggle
for financial survival. Nelson Mail 01/09/10
• Acute geriatric hospital to close Nelson's
health bosses are planning to close the hospital that caters for
the region's highest-need elderly people with serious dementia and
mental illnesses. The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board
admits there are financial issues behind its proposal to close
Alexandra Hospital in Richmond but says that the over-riding reason
is changes in the care of "psychogeriatric" patients.Nelson Mail
22/09/10
• Job cuts appal lab workers union Job losses
for Nelson medical laboratory workers show the Government is
reneging on its promise to fund more frontline health workers, says
the workers' union. MedLab South has proposed to cut a third of its
workers in Nelson and Marlborough, including almost six fulltime
equivalent jobs in Nelson, and send community lab tests to
Christchurch for processing. Urgent tests would still be processed
at Nelson Hospital. The Nelson Mail 21/10/10
• Alexandra Hospital staff fear for patients'
welfare Health workers at Richmond's Alexandra Hospital fear for
their patients under a new proposal put forward by the Nelson
Marlborough District Health Board to close the hospital and
contract care out to private providers. Alexandra Hospital provides
care for psychogeriatric patients, including dementia care, acute
care and long-term, or "continuing" care. Nelson Mail
06/11/10
West Coast
• Breast Bus cancelled Westport women would have
to travel for 90 minutes and Karamea women doubke that
distance. U turn because of political pressure The
News-Westport 23/3/09
• Westport will have about half as many GPs as
it needs between now and the end of October, but Buller Health
Medical Centre is confident it will cope. Buller Medical has three
full-time equivalent (FTE) permanent GPs available at present:Fully
staffed, the practice needs six to eight permanent GPs.
Buller Medical is also short of nurses. It has 6.13FTE nurses,
about two fewer than it would like. The News Westport
15/06/10
• Seven-week wait on Coast to see a GP The
retirement of a Greymouth GP has exacerbated the GP shortage on the
West Coast with patients having to wait up to seven weeks to see a
GP for non-urgent appointments. West Coast sickness beneficiary
Tony Whyte, who lives at Blackball, 28km from Greymouth, recently
hit the headlines when he went public about his concerns over the
delay in seeing a GP. New Zealand Doctor 08/09 2010
Canterbury
• Home support cuts for elderly in
Canterbury. 'Old man offers to wash his shower with his foot'
ChCh Press
• Assessment cuts help for elderly. More than
1200 Canterbury elderly have had their home-help hours cut or
reduced since a new assessment service began five months ago. ChCh
Press 27/01/10
• Christchurch's free youth health drop-in
centre will close next month amid fears some of the city's most
vulnerable young people will fall outside the system. The 198
Youth Health Centre provides free doctors, nurses and counsellors
for under-25s. Declining Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB)
funding meant the centre could no longer operate. Centre
director Sue Bagshaw said yesterday that despite the "disgusting"
lack of funding, she would reopen a similar service as soon as
possible. ChCh Press 06/03/10
• Health cuts 'hitting the front line' Some of
Canterbury's front-line health services are being axed, a
Christchurch health manager says. Union and Community Health
Service manager Genelle Gordon said the service was recently forced
to close its central city clinic and make two staff redundant. It
was expecting further cuts to its services.ChCh Press
23/03/10
• Govt funding cuts have forced the axing of an
advertising campaign targeting problem gamblers as the number of
people seeking help soars. the Problem Gambling Foundation halted a
$55,000 radio campaign - urging troubled gamblers to seek help -
after just 6 months when the ministry cut $275,000 from its annual
grant. ChCh Press 30/04/10
• Concern and uncertainty surrounds one of
Christchurch's health services with the respite care home, Newell
House, closing its doors next month is run by the Oxford Terrace
Baptist Church and provides respite care for mentally ill women and
their children. TVNZ 30/04/10
• Plea over medical training Christchurch
Hospital surgeons are refining their skills among buckets of
rainwater while nurses are training in store rooms, says the head
of Canterbury's clinical skills unit. ChCh Press 01/05/10
• A move to make GPs unavailable in Rangiora and
Kaiapoi after hours goes against the Government's health
priorities, a Canterbury DHB member says. Andrew Dickerson became
concerned after hearing news that GPs across Rangiora and Kaiapoi
will not work after 5pm on weekdays anymore and not at all on
weekends. ChCh Press 05/07/10
• Acute 24/7 surgery to go. Canterbury DHB
plans to scrap 24/7 acute surgical services from November are
alarming health professionals. A 3 month trial will start 1
August. Dr Chris Ryan a board member but also an Ashburton GP
says the loss of anaesthetists may mean seriously ill patients may
not be able to be stabilised in the 'golden hour' before being sent
to Christchurch. Ashburton Guardian 13/07/10
• Auckland cancer patients will be flown to
Christchurch for private radiotherapy while Canterbury patients
wait up to six weeks for treatment. St George's Hospital chief
executive Tony Hunter said the Auckland District Health Board
approached the private provider a week ago about radiation
treatment for Auckland public patients. The new contract was
revealed yesterday, four days after Director-General of Health
Stephen McKernan told Canterbury health chiefs that their cancer
treatment waiting times were a concern. He told the Canterbury
District Health Board (CDHB) on Friday that Canterbury's
preparation was "crucially important" to meeting a four-week target
for radiotherapy by December. The target was now six weeks.ChCh
Press 21/07/10 Cost-cutting takes away home help from
elderly.
• Two-thirds of Canterbury elderly have had
their home help axed or reduced in what critics call a
"cost-cutting exercise". Between October and May, a board-funded
agency reassessed 2400 people receiving home help. Of those, 101
lost their help and 1400 had their hours reduced. ChCh Press
05/08/10
• Suicide expert quits country 'in despair'An
international expert on suicide prevention left New Zealand "in
despair" over lack of Government funding, a colleague says.
Professor David Fergusson, of Otago University, said the Canterbury
Suicide Project, established in 1991, ended when Annette Beautrais
returned to work at Yale in the United States 18 months ago "in
despair". "The whole area of suicide research in Canterbury has
ceased largely because her work was not supported or recognised by
the Ministry of Health," he said. "She became extremely
disillusioned." ChCh Press 12/08/10
• Funds cut for suicide bereaved A counselling
service for people who have lost family members to suicide has
suffered a government funding cut, despite relatives being at
greater risk of self-harm. Clinical Advisory Services Aotearoa
(Casa) provided counselling to family after a suicide as part of a
Health Ministry initiative called Postvention. However, chairman
Stephen Lisk said funding for the service was cut in June.ChCh
Press 20/08/10
• Family fed up with waiting A
disappointing run with the Canterbury health system has resulted in
an Amberly family making a life-changing decision to move to
Australia for help. Colin and Patricia Vujcich have decided to
relocate their family to Sydney in a bid to get help for their
six-year-old, Eva, who has symptoms of Marfan syndrome. Eva's
quality of life has been deteriorating over the last five years
while she has been waiting for various appointments necessary to
diagnose her condition. After an appointment made in January
through the Canterbury health system was once again delayed, Mr and
Mrs Vujcich decided to make the more permanent move to Sydney.
Northern Outlook Rangiora 02/09/10
• Child cancer unit called 'atrocious'
Canterbury urgently needs a new child cancer unit as the current
accommodation is "atrocious", a Canterbury District Health Board
(CDHB) member says. Christchurch Hospital has been treating
Wellington child cancer patients since the Capital and Coast
District Health ChCh Press 21/09/10
• Intensive care unit 'in crisis' Christchurch
Hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) is in "crisis", its clinical
director says. Some patients had to be transferred earlier than
planned, heart surgeries had to be cancelled and staff had to work
overtime. Dr Seton Henderson said the unit was resourced for 15
intensive-care beds, but had had to cope with between 16 and 18
patients for the past two weeks. Some days, more than 20 patients
were going through the unit. ChCh Press 14/10/10
• Disabled still living in rest homes A lack of
suitable housing for people with disabilities is still forcing some
to live in rest homes, a support group says. ChCh Press
18/10/10
• Pressure on heart diagnosis Christchurch
Hospital's waiting list for angiograms to diagnose heart disease
has jumped to about 200 people as the hospital struggles to deal
with record numbers since last month's earthquake. The cardiac unit
is also coping with just one working diagnostic laboratory when
patient volumes mean it needs four, its clinical director says.
David Smyth said it was inevitable some patients would die while
waiting up to six months to be seen. The waiting times are much
higher than in Britain and Australia. Smyth said it was a
challenging time for the unit, which was still dealing with the
effects of the Canterbury quake. The September 4 quake triggered
record numbers of heart attacks. ChCh Press 21/10/10
• Waiting lists grow as strikes bite
Christchurch Hospital has spent $243,000 on private MRI scans as it
struggles to control a ballooning waiting list during months of
radiographers' strikes. More than 500 Canterbury patients are on a
waiting list for MRI scans, with a waiting time of up to six
months. ChCh Press 02/11/10
South Canterbury
• South Canterbury DHB has said it will be
reducing the amount of patients seen in its Emergency Department by
up to 5000 people a year. SCDHB has also signalled that it is
looking to reduce the number of patients using radiology
services.
• The DHB also confirmed that it would be axing
up to 200 elective operations per year because of a cut in
Government funding.
• Hospital turning away patients. Central
Medical GP Steve Dawson said 49 of his practice clients received
letters saying specialists at Oamaru Hospital could not see them
last week.The only options we have is to re-refer them, suggest
they use the private health system, or attempt to treat them
ourselves. Oamaru Mail 15/12/09
• Cuts to elderly care in South Canterbury The
Timaru Herald 30/07/09
• Health plan to show details of $1.4m cuts
Cost-cutting of up to $1.4 million will be outlined when the South
Canterbury District Health Board releases its annual plan tomorrow.
The plan was approved by Health Minister Tony Ryall last Tuesday
and formal approval would be sought from board members at their
meeting this Friday. The Timaru Herald 24/08/10
Otago/Southland
• Southland and Otago DHBs have confirmed they
are cutting home support services to reduce costs. The Boards were
looking to make savings of up to $10 million by reducing home
support services for elderly. Southland Times 22/04/09
• Dunstan Hospital reduces community physio and
disability home support Southland Times 17/08/09
• Rural maternity stays for the chop The time
new mums spend at rural maternity homes in Southland could be
slashed as the Southland District Health Board proposes to cut
funding. A document leaked to The Southland Times shows the
Southland District Health Board is proposing to cut funding by 30
per cent to the Winton Maternity Centre, run by the Central
Southland Hospital Trust. Southland 04/11/09
• Hospitals propose preferential treatment for
those who can pay Bridging the Gaps NZ Herald
25/01/10
• By Elspeth McLean and Eileen Goodwin on Tue,
Otago Daily Times 16/03/10 Otago faces a "massive wave" of elderly
needing rest-home space that might not be available, if
cost-cutting forces rest-homes out of business, New Zealand Aged
Care Association board member Malcolm Hendry says.
• South Link Health has shed its general manager
position as it continues to "cut the cloth to fit" its
circumstances. NZ Doctor 02/06/10
• Home help slashed by 1000 hours a week
Southland people have lost more than 1000 hours a week of home help
and will almost certainly lose even more as the Southern District
Health Board seeks to slash millions of dollars from its budget.
The board has cut a total of 1493 hours a week of home help
services across Southland and Otago with the southern region
bearing the brunt of the cuts to date with 1091 hours lost to 682
people Southland Times 04/06/10
• Hospital needs 'business focus' Lakes District
Hospital was "permanently in financial difficulty" and some sort of
public-private partnership would improve its viability, Deputy
Prime Minister, Finance Minister and local MP Bill English said in
Queenstown yesterday. Southland Times 05/06/10
• 682 Southlanders have lost home help
Government is being accused of breaching the United Nations'
charter on human rights and could face legal action over cuts to
home help for the elderly. Meetings have been held throughout the
country as part of a Labour and Green Party "investigation" into
the state of aged care but it was clearly the cuts to home help in
Southland that resulted in 200 people attending the meeting
yesterday. More than 20 people stood up and told of how they or
their relatives or friends had been cut from the system. The
Southland 15/06/10
• Home help cuts biting A massive reduction in
housework allowances for sick Southlanders is starting to hit home,
and senior citizens claim they are bearing the brunt of the
Government's cost cutting. Jenny and Bert Porter are typical of the
687 people who have had their domestic assistance entitlements
reduced or cut by the Southern District Health Board during the
past year. The Southland Times 18/06/10
• Staff cap adds to hospital pressure Lack of
money and the cap on administrative staff is putting staff under
pressure, Dunedin Hospital's chief medical officer, Richard Bunton,
says. ASMS Ian Powell and PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff
both said Mr Bunton's concerns would apply to other areas of the
country. ODT 26/06/10
• SDHB members should speak out over
neurosurgery services and have the courage to back their chief
executive's bid to employ two neurosurgeons immediately, an Otago
woman with recent experience of the service says. She was critical
of the proposal to base all six neurosurgeons in a regional service
in ChCh. She was concerned there had been no public debate
over neurosurgery services around the Southern District Health
Board table and no opportunity for community input. ODT 28/06/10
• $900,000 shortfall; clinic losing 10 staff
Dunedin's Ashburn Clinic is losing nearly 10 full-time equivalent
staff, combining two inpatient wards and mothballing a hostel to
make up a $900,000 funding shortfall. During the past five years,
ACC funding for sexual-abuse inpatients dropped from $2 million to
$900,000 in the 2009-10 financial year.The clinic lost a $500,000
five-bed eating-disorder contract with the Ministry of Health,
effective from the end of this month. ODT 29/06/10
• Risk of hospital unit loss 'reason to worry'
The head of the Southern District Health Board has said people
worried Dunedin Hospital might lose neurosurgical services were
"absolutely" right to be concerned. Southland Times 14/07/10
• Grey Power Southland has lodged its case with
the Human Rights Commissioner about cuts to home help in Southland.
The case was based on reducing home-help services on the basis of
age. That was contrary to the United Nations charter on human
rights to which the Government was a signatory. Mr Piercy said they
had included "quite a large number" of examplesof how the cuts were
impacting. They included "instances where people have been admitted
to hospital because their care has been withdrawn". The Southland
Times 27/07/10
• Ashburn staff laid off Last month, Ashburn,
the country's oldest private psychiatric hospital, announced it had
to drop 9.7 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff to cope with a
$900,000 funding shortfall. Mr Smith's own position reduces from
full-time to 0.5FTE. As well as that, kitchen staff reduce 1FTE,
psychiatric staff 0.7FTE, psychotherapy 1FTE, office staff 1FTE and
nurses 5.5FTE. "It has been distressing for staff to see long-time
work colleagues going, and to see Alexander House shut." Ashburn,
established in 1882, had never had to cut staff before, he said.
ODT 27/07/10
• We speak with one voice. The scene at Dunedin
Town Hall yesterday evening as about 1000 people gathered at short
notice to support the retention of neurosurgery services in
Dunedin. Among the messages read to the meeting was one from all
four southern National MPs saying, in their view, on the
information available, the needs of the people of Otago and
Southland would be best served by the provision of a clinically
robust and sustainable neurosurgery service based in Christchurch
and Dunedin. While MPs Michael Woodhouse, Eric Roy and Jacqui Dean
have given clear support for a Dunedin service, it is the first
time deputy prime minister and Clutha Southland MP Bill English has
done so.ODT 06/08/10
• Youth health centres could be at risk.
Parliament's health select committee today heard submissions on the
country's 11 "youth one-stop shops", which offer a range of
community-based health and social services to people in their teens
and early 20s. A one-stop shop in Christchurch closed its doors
earlier this year after the Canterbury District Health Board (DHB)
pulled its funding amid concerns over its finances. Another centre
in Invercargill is under threat after the Southland DHB axed its
funding. Otago Daily Times 18/08/10
• Sickness result of housework cuts: St Kilda
pensioner John Currie said he was so worried about his housework
help being cut to 30 minutes a week, he ended up in hospital. The
94-year-old, who prides himself on his resilience and independence,
was in Dunedin Hospital for two nights last week with pleurisy. He
had exerted himself more than usual, by doing his vacuuming,
additional to other chores he does, such as making his bed.
However, he believes nervous exhaustion through worry about his
housework - rather than physical exertion - made him ill.
Initially, in March, the Southern District Health Board said Mr
Currie would lose his one and a-half hours' help, but he was given
30 minutes a week on appeal. The former Ohai coalminer and World
War 2 veteran, who served in the Pacific, reckons he deserves a bit
more state help.ODT 24/08/2010
• DHB restructuring terminates six jobs The
Southern District Health Board is shedding six full-time jobs in
its planning and funding, and finance divisions. The board's
finance and funding general manager, Robert Mackway-Jones, was
tight-lipped about the restructuring, refusing to answer most of
the Otago Daily Times' questions. ODT 28/08/2010
• Trust sees threat in maternity review A
Winton-based medical trust has called on support from Venture
Southland to help keep its maternity centre from being shut down.
The Central Southland Hospital Charitable Trust, which runs the
Winton Maternity Centre, has asked Venture to compile a report that
outlines the need for the centre to remain open. The centre's
operating costs, along with all other rural maternity centres in
Southland and Otago, are under review by the Southern District
Health Board as it seeks to address issues raised by rural midwives
about financial concerns. The Southland Times 04/09/10
• Staff cuts as health board rationalises Robert
Mackway-Jones The Southern District Health Board is reducing its
planning and funding department and centralising it in Dunedin. The
planning and funding department, as well as the finance department,
are being pruned, with 6.5 to 6.8 full-time equivalent positions
set to go. ODT 04/09/10
• Concerns over mental health deficit Robert
Mackway-Jones The Southern District Health Board says a looming
mental health care deficit means some services may be reduced as
the board seeks to balance its books. ODT 02/10/10
• Millar warns of service cutbacks Outgoing
Southern District Health Board chairman Errol Millar is warning
that health services will have to be cut to satisfy the
Government's budget targets. Health Minister Tony Ryall has offered
virtually no explanation for his decision not to reappoint Mr
Millar other than he wanted someone more suited to the
"consolidation" phase of the new board. Mr Millar said it probably
related to the ongoing deficit that the Southland and Otago boards
had been running for several years. He warned that the only way to
balance the books was to cut health services. Southland Times
06/11/10
• Threshold raised for eye surgery Increased
demand for cataract surgery and a lack of capacity to carry out
extra work has resulted in Dunedin Hospital raising the threshold
for such operations. The threshold for the surgery had been
increased by five points on the clinical priority assessment
criteria (CPAC) scoring system. The information used for this is
compiled by the consultant assessing the patient and allocating
scores and also the patient filling out a social score about how
they are affected by their condition. The points now need to add up
to 55 to qualify. Some people visually unfit to drive may have a
long wait before surgery, but Dr Coop said not being fit to drive
was not a sole factor which would qualify a patient for surgery.
ODT 13/12/10
• Dannevirke outpatients clinic cut Manawatu
Standard
• A total of 12.5 nursing positions chopped
across the Palmerston North hospital's main surgical, medical and
child health wards, neonates, coronary care, intensive care and the
high dependency unit. $10millions in 'savings' Manawatu
Standard
• 10 surgical beds closed at MidCentral DHB DHB
March Board Minutes Tangimoana residents fume over nurse cuts
Clinic hours have been cut from 20 to eight hours, while opening
days dropped from six to two a week, following a Primary Health
Organisation (PHO) review. Manawatu Standard 17/03/2010
• Dying patients, people needing intensive
rehabilitation and the elderly will all be hit by proposed health
cuts in the Manawatu. The DHB confirmed it plans to make cuts and
changes to its services that will save $2.7 million a year. Axing
the overnight district nursing service, which provides care to
patients, many of whom are terminally ill, in their homes. Dominion
Post 22/04/10
• Loss of a free and confidential sexual health
service that is available to everyone in the MidCentral Health
district would be disturbing, says Women's Health Collective member
Jean Hera. "I don't understand how primary health is going to pick
up all these clients." Man. Std 28/04/10
• Cuts fears cloud celebration. The Palmerston
North Diabetes Lifestyle Centre marked its 30th anniversary this
week under the threat of service cuts. The Centre has established
itself as a centre of excellence, recognised nationally and
internationally and upon which specialist diabetes services in
other centres have been modelled," Dr Dixon said. Another speaker
sounding a warning not to tamper with diabetes services was Paul
Drury, medical director of the New Zealand Society for the Study of
Diabetes. The incidence of diabetes is growing by about 8 per
cent a year across New Zealand, and resources would have to be put
into dealing with the "tsunami" of diabetes that was affecting
communities and hitting people younger. Man Stnd 1/05/10
• District face health cuts Norma Evans of Grey
Power -"these health cuts are just going to snow ball and I'm
worried more cuts will come. This is just the start" "Some of
our older people can't reach their toes to cut their toenails and
they are charged $60 if they go to a podiatrist" I had a friend who
had skin cancer and had been seen locally by a Dr in Oct but her
appointment on the waiting list had fallen through the cracks - I'm
getting more and more accounts of this sort of thing happening"
Dannevirkes Glennis McDonald recently attended Grey Power
conference in ChCh and says they have 80,000 membership. "Our
membership is on the rise because elder people are concerned about
health issues" Dannevirke News 03/05/10
• Health cuts 'too deep' - community Nurses
carried a coffin down Levin's main street yesterday, in defence of
Star4, the Horowhenua Health Centre's assessment, treatment, and
rehabilitation ward. Despite plans to cut $9 million from patient
services, the MidCentral District Health Board has approved
spending more than $1.4m on new computer software. Manawatu
Standard 20/05/10
• Reprieve won for medical centre Horowhenua has
won a $1.2 million reprieve for its health centre, and 10 medical
and nursing jobs are safe for now following a MidCentral Health
backdown. Man Std 22/05/10
• Stay quiet on health cuts, staff warned
Midcentral Health staff have been told not to bother patients about
proposed health service cuts. said chief executive Murray Georgel
in a staff newsletter about the financial recovery plan and its
goal of finding $10 million in savings. "These are challenging
times for us as an organisation," he said. "Please continue to
provide timely, efficient and safe patient care while any questions
or feedback about our financial recovery programme can be directed
to me, to general managers, or to directors within MidCentral
Health."Man Std 05/06/10
• Pressure builds against cuts About 120 people
braved bitterly cold temperatures in Palmerston North's Square to
protest MidCentral District Health Board cuts. Sixteen speakers
called for the community to put pressure on the board and the
Government to stop planned "changes" to frontline health services.
"They tell us this is not about cuts, but about change. Well, I beg
to differ," said Manawatu Stewart Centre manager Janet Webb.Man Std
10/06/2010
• Scaled-back proposals for cuts at MidCentral
Health's Diabetes Lifestyle Centre still don't wash with Diabetes
Manawatu secretary Kathy Scott. The option of slashing the jobs of
five nurses, a dietitian and an office worker has been put
alongside a less-drastic second option that would see just one
nurse and a part-time administrator out of work. "It would mean
there would be no service when that one nurse was sick or on leave,
and to try to work without a dietitian would be no service at all."
Man Std 6/07/10
• 12 jobs cut after PHO merger Twelve management
and administration jobs have been cut from MidCentral's four
primary health organisations, saving $378,000. Manawatu,
Tararua, Horowhenua and Otaki PHOs, merged into one Central PHO at
the start of July. Man Std 10/07/10 Cuts to nursing services
granted Cuts to rehabilitation and district nursing services have
been approved without a murmur of dissent by the MidCentral
District Health Board. It is estimated the changes will contribute
$478,000 in savings towards the board's attempts to cut $10 million
from its spending. Man Std 22/07/10
• Deaf Mental Health services cut in Mid Central
region by private correspondence 20/09/10
• Hours cuts may kill youth cancer service The
support service for adolescents and young people in cancer
treatment at Palmerston North Hospital is facing a cut so serious
its defenders fear it might not survive. The cut back in hours - to
three-tenths and four-tenths of full-time jobs in a
three-day-a-week service - has been sparked by the Health Ministry
cutting the budget to $61,000 a year. Manawatu Std
02/10/10
• GP wait list nears 2000 The number of people
in Horowhenua wanting to
register with a doctor has stretched to nearly 2000 people and
continues to grow. One Horowhenua practice reported turning away an
estimated 20 patients a day and Foxton Medical Centre said they had
people ringing weekly and sometimes daily to register with them,
including people from Levin. Horowhenua Mail 28/10/10
• Provincial towns hit hard by GP shortage
People in some towns are having to wait several years to get a
doctor in their community due to a gap in the health workforce.
There are not enough General Practitioners (GPs) in New Zealand to
service people's health needs and some people are now choosing
where to live based on the quality of health services. The gap in
the health workforce has become a nationwide problem, but
provincial towns have been hit hardest. Levin resident Maria Whiti
said getting to see a doctor in her community is like a lottery and
she always has her fingers crossed. "You know, you might win [the
lottery] and get a doctor," she said. 08/11/10 ONE News
• GP shortfall drives up fees Masterton
Medical's fees have increased more than other practices to help
cover the cost of bringing three doctors from the United States and
Britain to meet staff shortages.Fees went up across Wairarapa
medical practices on October 1 to cover the GST rise but at
Masterton Medical the fees rose slightly more to cover rising
costs. The practice has increased its standard fees by $4 for 25 to
65-year-olds - meaning a trip to the doctor now costs $35 for that
age group. Wairarapa Times 22/10/10
• Cuts to diabetes centre 'broken promise'
Health watchdogs have slammed cuts to the Diabetes Lifestyle
Centre, confirmed yesterday by the MidCentral District Health
Board, as "reprehensible" and incredibly short-sighted. Diabetes
New Zealand president Chris Baty said the decision to cut a nurse
and a half-time administrator from the specialist service was a
huge disappointment given that demand for diabetes services was
going to grow. "None of it makes any sense at all. Manawatu
Standard 17/11/10
Taranaki
• Taranaki DHB has publicly signalled that its
hospital is preparing for cut backs. "Health Services get the
knife" Taranaki Daily New 10/03/09
• ACC refuses to pay for wheelchair for Taranaki
amputee who is told to go and ask the local DHB for funding
Taranaki Daily News
• Mary Bourke DHB Board Member candid on ACC
squeeze "So effectively, madam chair, what we are talking about
here is that ACC is trying to cut down on its costs by shoving its
responsibilities on to someone else?" Yes, came the answer.
Taranaki Daily News 27/01/10
• Taranaki sources, who did not wish to be
named, yesterday said grave fears existed that this was already
happening. Mr Coleman's spokesman said this was incorrect.
"The Government has not said that DHBs can tap into mental health
budgets. The Government has actually told DHBs that the ring fence
remains in place." The news delighted Mental Health Foundation
chief executive Judi Clements, of Auckland. "There was concern that
it might be happening though it was not official," Dr Clements
said. Taranaki Daily News 16/04/10
• Looming staff cuts cause angst. Looming cuts
to staff and services in Taranaki's public hospitals are cause for
serious concern, a representative for health workers says. Public
Service Association organiser Peter Ireland said yesterday that any
suggestion of cuts to staff was worrying. "There is extreme concern
about what is happening overall in the health sector," he
said. Taranaki Daily News 20/04/10
• Health deficit tops $8 million. DHB Committee
member Nic Boheimer said there were moral and ethical questions
about reducing any services which were by-products of health. "Pain
is a by-product of hospitals. "Having no pain management
service would be like having a toilet with no toilet paper."
Taranaki Daily News 28/04/10
• Inglewood retiree Bob Taylor is challenging
the Government to get its priorities right after he was declined a
second cataract operation. Mr Taylor, 72, was delighted when he had
a successful cataract operation on his left eye about four months
back which returned sight to that eye. "I was in a pretty bad way.
It gave me great sight." But when he tried to get his blurry right
eye fixed, he was sent a letter from the Taranaki District Health
Board telling him he would not get the second operation and to
return to his GP for care.Taranaki Daily News
02/09/10
• TDHB in red at start of year Just one month
into the new financial year, the Taranaki District Health Board's
hospital services are already $460,000 in the red. The July result
was announced at the board's meeting in New Plymouth and comes on
the heels of a $7.88 million loss the previous year. Taranaki Daily
News11/09/10
• District's diabetes service slammed Taranaki's
district health board has been slammed for inadequate services for
people with diabetes. Paul Drury, medical director of the New
Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes, was scathing about the
level of service provided. "We are extremely concerned and very
disappointed that Taranaki as a district health board hasn't taken
diabetes seriously over many years," Dr Drury said. "Taranaki has
possibly the most deficient service in the country."Taranaki Daily
News 03/12/10
• Taranaki DHB District Annual Plan cut $90,000
from Diabetes. Last year the Diabetes Education and Management
funding was $290,452 (page 104)This year's Diabetes Education and
Management funding has dropped to $201,440 (page 82)
Whanganui
• Whanganui DHB has said it will be closing
hospital wards on weekends to save money on nursing overtime. "
Hospital looks to close wards at weekends" Wanganui Chronicle 26
/06/09
• Surgeon slates MP's health claims.
Surgeon Clive Solomon disputes elective surgery figures used by
Simon Power in his newsletter "Almost anything can be
considered an elective operation and by Mr Power's figures we have
no idea whether an elective case represents a hip replacement, a
liver transplant, a hernia repair or removal of a pimple or a
splinter," Wanganui Chronicle 5/5/10
• Hospital may axe staff to cut deficit Staff
cuts are looming at the Whanganui District Health Board as the
health service battles to live within a constricting budget.
Wanganui Chronicle 31/05/10
• Dozens of jobs face axe DHB management is
refusing to confirm how many people will lose their jobs - from
report Safely Reducing our Spending Wanganui Chronicle 14/06/10
Taihape health care on last legs Otaihape Health is facing a budget
deficit of $500,000 for the 2010-11 year and wages are a major
component. Mr Hefford said Otaihape Health had three options -
continue the status quo, agree to a cost and funding restructure
with the WDHB and staff, or quit. Whanganui Chronicle 7/07/10
• Health board budget still under strain despite
cuts In spite of taking the axe to staff numbers, Wanganui's health
board budget remains on a knife edge. That assessment was delivered
by Whanganui District Health Board chief executive Julie Patterson
at the board's latest meeting. Wanganui Chronicle 06/10/10
• Rest home closure plan sparks protest About
100 people were out protesting the pending closure of Taihape's
Ruanui House rest home yesterday morning, upset with the prospect
of having to shift loved ones out of town for care. This follows
the move into voluntary liquidation by Otaihape Health Ltd.Now the
Whanganui District Health Board is saying there was little chance
of Ruanui remaining open to permanent residents. Wendy Campbell was
among those at yesterday's meeting and said it was her "first ever
protest meeting". Mrs Campbell, who manages Kells Wool at Utiku,
said her parents, Lou and Joan Campbell had only shifted into the
home five months ago. The couple - Lou is 96 and Joan is 93 -
celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in September this year.
"They lived in this area for about 60 years and then moved away but
wanted to come back. So we found them a place in Ruanui and they
love it," Mrs Campbell said. "But this decision has absolutely
gutted us and everyone here," she said. 50 staff are set to lose
their jobs when the health centre closes within three
weeks.Wanganui Chronicle 21/11/10
• Rest Home Closure Rocks Taihape Taihape
residents are concerned the closure of the rest home will have
further negative effects on health services in the rural town.Lou
and Joan Campbell managed a large station in the district and lived
in Taihape for 60 years. It is their home.Now in their 90s, the
couple wanted to spend the rest of their days in the small rural
town in the central North Island, so five months ago they moved in
to Ruanui House rest home. News the rest home is closing, with
families given two weeks' notice to find alternative care for their
loved ones, has left them devastated.Sixteen elderly residents at
Ruanui will lose their home just before Christmas, after provider
Otaihape Health Limited went into voluntary liquidation. The
Whanganui District Health Board has confirmed the home will be
closed on December 12.New Zealand Farmers' Weekly
06/12/10
• Petition fails to stop rest home closure There
were tears in Taihape as Doug and Vera Wilson's family escorted the
elderly couple out of the town's closing rest home. Eileen
Wilson stroked her mother-in-law's arm and struggled to speak as
the reality of Ruanui rest home's imminent closure took its toll.
"She doesn't really know what's going on," she said. Mr Wilson was
settled into an ambulance by son Rob for his ride to Coombrae rest
home in Feilding, where the couple will be separated by a locked
door. While Mr Wilson needs medical care, his wife will need
dementia care. Man Stnd 09/12/2010
Wairarapa
• WDHB would like to cut at least $200,000 out
of the WCPHO contract. This equates to 42% of the
discretionary money that the WDHB fund.The board asked why the WDHB
hadn't told the WCPHO during the Clinical Services Action Plan
process. The cuts have come out of the blue. The board were
very unhappy with the process.There has yet to be any discussion
regarding the devolution of services from primary to
secondary.Wairarapa Community PHO Board Meeting Minutes
27/08/09
• Managers' jobs face cut in DHB shake-up
Cash-strapped Wairarapa District Health Board plans to axe the
equivalent of about 10 management jobs in a bid to slash costs
while throwing more money toward frontline clinicians. ''The cost
of service delivery is outstripping the funding we
receive.''Wairarapa Times Age 27/03/10
• Anger over mother left in faeces A Masterton
woman is upset at Wellington Hospital after her mother was
allegedly left lying in her own faeces for three hours.The
65-year-old woman, who has a bowel condition, was not attended to
last Thursday afternoon despite buzzing every half an hour, her
daughter said yesterday. Wairarapa Times Age 24/06/10 ACC
thrift leaves shortfall Belt-tightening within the Accident
Compensation Corporation (ACC) is hurting Wairarapa Hospital's
balance sheets as the national personal accident insurer approves
fewer operations. Wairarapa DHB has lost about $80,000 in payments
since the start of the year after it went ahead with surgery that
ACC later wouldn't cover. ACC is taking longer to rubber-stamp
compensation for surgeries but, for the sake of patient health and
safety, Wairarapa Hospital often has to carry out the operations
regardless. Wairarapa Times-Age 30/09/10
Wellington region
• Cut up to 50 docs - hospital's secret report A
secret razor gang of health board managers, Health Ministry
officials and external consultants advises cutting up to 50 doctors
and outsourcing some specialties to solve Capital and Coast's
financial woes. A draft of a confidential report leaked to The
Dominion Post shows Capital and Coast's deficit is set to balloon
to $48.4 million by 2009-10 unless urgent action is taken to
address the underlying causes. Dominion Post 01/01/09
• Phone assessments result in less aid At least
40 people between 80-90 have hours cut (Kapiti) Dominion Post
30/01/10
• Nephew takes on fight over home help cuts -
The nephew of an 86-year-old stroke victim has battled to regain
her home help after the service was slashed over the phone.
Wainuiomata reports 35 cuts and loss of service viability Dominion
Post 8/02/10
• Wellington Hospital trims 49 management roles.
Doctors and nurses who hold management roles are among nearly 50
staff at Wellington Hospital waiting to hear if they have lost
their jobs. Ian Powell, director of the Association of
Salaried Medical Specialists, the senior doctors' union, said that,
although no clinical staff were being cut, he was worried the
changes could make their jobs harder. "Most of the time those
so-called back-room positions actually help clinicians to do their
work." Dominion Post 8/02/10
• Board looks at further health cuts.The
Wellington district health board has cut contracts to medication
management and cardiovascular risk assessments and has reduced
funding for respiratory education. Kapiti Observer 09/04/10
• Under 6s fee at Kenepuru puts young lives at
risk Paediatrician Nikki Blair asks CCDHB to remove fees.
Board will report back in June. Starship doctors agree
Dominion Post 07/04110
• $20m cuts will hit patients. Patients will
lose frontline services in a plan to slash $10 million from primary
health services in Wellington and Kapiti, primary health groups
say. Capital & Coast District Health Board has provided The
Dominion Post with details of primary health contracts it plans to
cut or review this year and next year in order to save $10m. It is
also planning to cut its hospital budget by $17m. The board, which
has a $857m budget, wants to find savings of $27m as part of a plan
to get rid of its deficit within three years. Moves include
cancelling contracts to teach patients how to self-manage long-term
conditions, cutting a refugee health service and ending some
funding that provided longer doctor appointments for
cardio-vascular patients. The board is also reviewing funding for
court-based alcohol and drug counselling, immunisation and youth
sexual health services. Dominion Post 12/0410
• Regional Public Health will shed 9.3 full-time
equivalent staff most of them working in health promotion roles if
a proposed major re-structure is adopted. RPH is part of the Hutt
Valley District Health Board but has roles in chronic disease, the
medical officer of health role, health promotion, emergency
preparedness and disease control for the Wellington region. It has
144.1 (FTE (full-time equivalent) staff. Hutt News 11/05/10
• Father despairs at delays in 'urgent'
surgery.Twelve-year-old Kirstie Wake has waited more than two years
for surgery to treat her scoliosis during which time her spine has
curved to 100 degrees. The father of a 12-year-old girl - confined
to a wheelchair and unable to attend school because of a series of
cancelled operations - has hit out at the "systematic breakdown" of
the health system. "I've gone past frustration to complete
despair," her father, Gary, said. Auckland District Health Board
insisted yesterday that the delays were necessary, and said Kirstie
would get her operation. The Dominion Post 15/05/10
• Harsh home help cut hurts sick pensioner Vicky
Drew's home help was cut from 90 minutes a week to 60 minutes a
fortnight, several months after a telephone assessment by her local
health board. (Kapiti)The 85-year-old has two artificial knees,
needs a hip replacement and has two vertebrae out of place, one of
which is fractured NZ Herald 17/05/10
• Paraparaumu College - has had a weekly visit
from a nurse, then it was cut back to fortnightly, and now there
will be no visits from 1 July. Previously funded by Hutt
Valley DHB. Email to Ruth Dyson 20/05/10
• Wainuiomata is losing 4 Doctors on 1st July.
There will only be two doctors left and they are not going to be
replaced. Email to Ruth Dyson 24/05/10
• Wellington Hospital staff sent home to save
cash Elective surgery and other services at Wellington Hospital
will be cut for a week while staff are sent on leave to save
money.The Resident Doctors Association fears patient safety will be
compromised but Capital & Coast District Health Board says
there will be little effect on patients Dominion Post
27/05/10
• Plans to close Kenepuru overnight emergency
services between 11pm and 8am to save money RNZ News
27/05/10
• Hutt health group says funding cuts will hit
high needs patients A Hutt primary health organisation (PHO) with
92 per cent of patients classified as "high needs" says it's being
forced to cut frontline staff hours and/or increase fees because of
funding cuts. Piki Te Ora ki Te Awakairangi has 12,600 patients
enrolled with the Hutt Union (HUCHS) practices in Petone and
Pomare, Whai Oranga in Wainuiomata and the Pacific Health Service
in Naenae. HUCHs manager Sally Nicholl says discretionary funding
to the PHO from the Hutt Valley District Health Board is to be
halved (to about $300,000) and it's also expecting lower Govt
fundingHutt News 15/06/10
• Budget cuts raise cost of GP visits for poorer
patients Patients in some of the poorest parts of Lower Hutt will
pay more for doctors' visits, with funding to a local health
organisation set to be cut.The move has sparked fears that
low-income patients may stop going to their GPs, get sicker and end
up in hospital. The Hutt-based Piki te Ora Primary Health
Organisation will have $95,000 cut from its budget from July 1 -
money used to subsidise the cost of healthcare for people unable to
afford doctors' visits.Dom Post 17/06/10
• Reduction in activity for DHB goes ahead A
"planned reduction in activity" has gone ahead this week as the
Capital and Coast District Health Board (CCDHB) tries to save money
Some elective surgeries and non-essential support services would
not be scheduled for this week and some staff had been asked to
take annual leave, starting from today NZPA 21/06/10
• Constant' offending a cry for DHB's help A
judge has sided with a solvents abuser, convicted thief and "old
friend", urging health authorities to cut through the "bureaucratic
logjams" that have seen her wait months for treatment. Upper Hutt
Leader 21/07/10
• Te Whai Oranga O Te Iwi Health Centre a Maori
Health Centre in Wainuiomata losing 4 doctors on 1 July email
• OIA reply from Capital and Coast DHB reveals
almost $5 million cut in mental health provision for 2010/2011
15/07/10 Dementia patient in jail over 'three strikes' case A
69-year-old with Parkinson's disease and mild dementia is in
Rimutaka Prison awaiting a "three strikes" offence hearing, as
neither his home for the disabled nor his family will take him
in.Dom Post 20/07/10 Lack of funds harming kids' health says report
Children are subsidising adults in primary care, says a report to
Capital & Coast DHB's board meeting tomorrow, as members
grapple with how to correct "disadvantage" in investment in child
health. Dom Post 03/08/10
• I can't cut any more, says outgoing DHB
boss.Wellington's district health board chief has quit, saying he
cannot cut costs any further without undermining patient care. In
an email to staff explaining his reasons for leaving his
$430,000-a-year job, he said there was no more room to cut the
district health board's costs, despite Government pressure to do
so. "I cannot see where any more major efficiency can come from
without negatively impacting on services." Dom Post 06/08/10
• Carry on cutting, Ryall tells DHB Health
Minister Tony Ryall has made it clear the Government wants further
savings from Wellington's district health board, despite warnings
that any more efficiencies will hurt health services. Capital &
Coast District Health Board chief executive Ken Whelan announced
his resignation last week after more than two years at the helm.
Dom Post 09/08/10
• Home help for elderly slashed to save money.
Up to 500 elderly or disabled people who receive help around the
house will have their assistance axed as Wellington's district
health board tries to save money. Capital & Coast District
Health Board announced yesterday that people receiving household
management help only and not personal health care would have that
help cut unless they had a community services card. From Monday,
any new patients referred for a home-help assessment will not be
eligible for help with cleaning, heavy lifting, meal preparation or
shopping unless they also need personal health and hygiene care.
Existing household management-only clients who do not have a
community services card will have their help cut at their first
re-assessment after December 1. Dom Post 03/09/10
• Tight finances will dominate Hutt Valley
health board's next triennium Peter Glensor, who has chaired the
board for the last seven years, says the signal from the Government
is that DHBs can expect lower increases in funding for several
years ahead. "Even if the recession were to end tomorrow, the
Government's finances will continue to bottom out for some time to
come," he says. Vote Health is the single biggest beneficiary of
government spending and up until this year, taxpayers have pumped
in an extra $750 million or so per annum. But in the May Budget the
increase was trimmed to $500m. HVDHB, which on a population basis
gets 3.8 per cent of the national funding, was already grappling
with a budget blowout which required it to find $10m in savings
just to finish $4.5m in the red. Hutt News 07/09/10 Health cuts hit
home Home support workers are facing another blow to
already-reduced working hours as changes to household support on
Monday could see their hours cut further. Since last year many home
support workers have lost working hours after district health
boards slashed the number of free cleaning and household support
hours for elderly and disabled people. Workers are facing further
cuts after Capital and Coast District Health Board announced new
referrals for household support would only be eligible for people
with a community services care, and who did not receive personal
care. Kapiti Observer 10/09/10
• Some fee rises for under 17 year olds at
Capital and Coast DHB practices have risen from $35 to
$42.50. Tony Ryall said a $1 rise would be justified after
the 1 Oct GST increase.
• Taking $27 Million Out of Health Board Will
Hurt The long awaited Capital & Coast District Health Board
District Annual Plan released today reveals that the DHB will
suffer $27 million in spending reductions. These will hurt
Wellingtonians and need to be reversed," said C&CDHB Board
member David Choat, elected under the banner of Care not
Cuts.Health Minister Tony Ryall has approved the plan submitted by
the previous Board in June. Press Release by Care Not Cuts -
03/1210
• Patients die waiting for cancer treatment Two
cancer patients have died while waiting for a specialist
appointment at Wellington Hospital as the district health board
struggles to replace a cancer doctor who left nearly two years ago.
Capital & Coast District Health Board's waiting list to see a
medical oncologist - a chemotherapy doctor - has reportedly blown
out to nearly 100 people, though the organisation says the number
is now about half that. Dom Post 16/12/10
Nelson/ Marlborough
• $2million cut in mental health services Nelson
Mental health funding on chopping block Nelson Mail
• Elderly and ailing people in Murchison may be
forced to end their lives away from home after speculation the NM
District Health Board intends to close aged-care beds in Murchison
Hospital. Nelson Mail 23/04/10
• Little hospital help for eye patients. People
needing certain eye operations at Nelson Hospital will have to get
worse or go private, due to Nelson Marlborough District Health
Board limiting eye surgery for all but urgent cases The Nelson Mail
29/04/2010
• Mental health funding cut The Nelson
Marlborough District Health Board will slash $1.51 million from
mental health services in the district. The cuts are being made
partly as a result of the board's Rutherford Initiative, aimed at
making savings in community and hospital health services. They
would address a forecast $1.8m mental health overspend, the board
said in a statement. Key people in affected organisations said they
were reeling from this body blow to mental health services.
However, they felt unable to speak on the record while contract
negotiations with the board were underway. "It is an indicator of
people's insecurity that they won't be quoted," said one
representative. The cuts were slammed as hitting a vulnerable group
lacking a strong voice. Nelson Mail The Marlborough
Express 25/05/10 News
• Daughter pays nurse to help at hospital.
Golden Bay resident Victoria Davis spent $1000 hiring a nurse to
care for her mother in Nelson Hospital after she says staff told
her to hire outside help because they were too overworked to look
after her. Ms Davis is also angered that a Nelson rest home missed
the severe bladder infection that landed her mother, Josephine
Fargo, 87, in hospital with septicaemia when the infection spread
to her blood. Dominion Post 29/05/10
• Golden Bay's mental health service, Te Whare
Mahana, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), will need money from
charities if it is avoid cutting services. Nelson Marlborough
District Health Board is to slash $1.5 million from mental health
services across the district in the next financial year and NGOs
will be hardest hit - they receive 25 per cent of the total mental
health funding but suffered 40 per cent of the budget cuts. Te
Whare Mahana manager Jo Johnson described the regional cuts as
"shocking and "a big blow". She said mental health was already
underfunded. The Nelson Mail 1/05/10
• Managers face axe in health shakeup The heads
of senior managers are on the chopping block at Nelson Marlborough
District Health Board as rising costs and demands on health
services force a restructure of its strategic leadership team. The
sweeping review will mean that all members of the current team will
have to apply for new positions, with only chief executive John
Peters' job safe.The Nelson Mail 04/06/10
• Another hospital ordeal Nelson Hospital nurses
told her they were too busy to care for her husband is urging
people to speak out about working conditions in the hospital's
medical ward. In September last year Nelson man William Evans, 85,
was in hospital after suffering his seventh stroke. Mr Evans uses
incontinence products, and his wife, Liz Evans, said a nurse told
her she was too busy to shower him. Mrs Evans, who usually cares
fulltime for her husband at home, showered him at the hospital
herself. "I said `Is this legal?' She said `No, but it's on your
head if there's an accident'." The Nelson Mail
05/06/10
• Board finding 'not surprising' In February, Ms
Davis paid a private nurse $1000 to come into Nelson Hospital to
care for her mother, 87-year-old Josephine Fargo, who was in
hospital with septicaemia. "We're looking at an investigation of a
body by a body," Ms Davis said. "If a nurse had come out and
admitted she did say that, there would be consequences. Whether any
of the staff feel free to speak candidly about what happened will
be dependent on how they think it will affect their working
environment." The Nelson Mail 04/06/10
• Drug, alcohol centre loses funding St Marks
Adult Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre, in Blenheim, had a $70,000
contract with the Health Ministry to treat people with convictions.
Centre manager Lois Miller said the contract funded two beds for 12
months. Marlborough Express 24/06/10
• OIA request to Nelson Marlborough DHB reveals
$600,000 cut to mental health provision for 2010/2011
25/06/10
• Mental health groups respond to cuts Mental
health support providers say Nelson Marlborough District Health
Board's $1.54 million budget cuts are alarming, and that the
long-term effects on the mentally ill are unknown. Representatives
of 18 non-government organisations (NGOs) are writing a report for
the board on how the cuts will affect clients, and plan to deliver
it in the next month. Co-chairman of the top of the south mental
health NGO provider network, Te Ara Mahi manager Peter Rees, said
NGOs and families didn't know what the changes would mean "on the
ground". "The outcomes have alarmed our service users and their
families." Nelson Mail 09/08/10
• Funding cut hurts On July 1, Helping Hands
lost funding for a half-time employment support worker. Before
Helping Hands, Peter Tinirau would just sit at home. He says
working gave him what he calls "my firepower - my life source". But
work can be hard to come by in Golden Bay, particularly if you have
mental health issues. Helping Hands made all the difference to him.
The Takaka centre gave him structure and an extra $60-$80 a week on
top of his "incredibly low" benefit. Without it, he believes the
other option was to be "locked up inside". "It's something to get
out of bed for if you're not too well," he says. The centre's only
funding now is from the Ministry of Social Development, which funds
it for 35 clients. Nelson Mail 10/08/10
• Painful financial times for health services
Nelson and Marlborough health services face a prolonged and painful
bout of restructuring after the district health board signalled it
was doubling the amount it must save to $20 million if it is to
meet the Government's demand that it break even within three
years.Nelson Mail 27/08/2010
• Rest home finally bows to struggle Staff,
trustees and families of residents of the Joan Whiting Rest Home in
Collingwood, Golden Bay's only rest home, are "heartbroken" the
home is to close on November 30 after a long and painful struggle
for financial survival. Nelson Mail 01/09/10
• Acute geriatric hospital to close Nelson's
health bosses are planning to close the hospital that caters for
the region's highest-need elderly people with serious dementia and
mental illnesses. The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board
admits there are financial issues behind its proposal to close
Alexandra Hospital in Richmond but says that the over-riding reason
is changes in the care of "psychogeriatric" patients.Nelson Mail
22/09/10
• Job cuts appal lab workers union Job losses
for Nelson medical laboratory workers show the Government is
reneging on its promise to fund more frontline health workers, says
the workers' union. MedLab South has proposed to cut a third of its
workers in Nelson and Marlborough, including almost six fulltime
equivalent jobs in Nelson, and send community lab tests to
Christchurch for processing. Urgent tests would still be processed
at Nelson Hospital. The Nelson Mail 21/10/10
• Alexandra Hospital staff fear for patients'
welfare Health workers at Richmond's Alexandra Hospital fear for
their patients under a new proposal put forward by the Nelson
Marlborough District Health Board to close the hospital and
contract care out to private providers. Alexandra Hospital provides
care for psychogeriatric patients, including dementia care, acute
care and long-term, or "continuing" care. Nelson Mail
06/11/10
West Coast
• Breast Bus cancelled Westport women would have
to travel for 90 minutes and Karamea women doubke that
distance. U turn because of political pressure The
News-Westport 23/3/09
• Westport will have about half as many GPs as
it needs between now and the end of October, but Buller Health
Medical Centre is confident it will cope. Buller Medical has three
full-time equivalent (FTE) permanent GPs available at present:Fully
staffed, the practice needs six to eight permanent GPs.
Buller Medical is also short of nurses. It has 6.13FTE nurses,
about two fewer than it would like. The News Westport
15/06/10
• Seven-week wait on Coast to see a GP The
retirement of a Greymouth GP has exacerbated the GP shortage on the
West Coast with patients having to wait up to seven weeks to see a
GP for non-urgent appointments. West Coast sickness beneficiary
Tony Whyte, who lives at Blackball, 28km from Greymouth, recently
hit the headlines when he went public about his concerns over the
delay in seeing a GP. New Zealand Doctor 08/09 2010
Canterbury
• Home support cuts for elderly in
Canterbury. 'Old man offers to wash his shower with his foot'
ChCh Press
• Assessment cuts help for elderly. More than
1200 Canterbury elderly have had their home-help hours cut or
reduced since a new assessment service began five months ago. ChCh
Press 27/01/10
• Christchurch's free youth health drop-in
centre will close next month amid fears some of the city's most
vulnerable young people will fall outside the system. The 198
Youth Health Centre provides free doctors, nurses and counsellors
for under-25s. Declining Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB)
funding meant the centre could no longer operate. Centre
director Sue Bagshaw said yesterday that despite the "disgusting"
lack of funding, she would reopen a similar service as soon as
possible. ChCh Press 06/03/10
• Health cuts 'hitting the front line' Some of
Canterbury's front-line health services are being axed, a
Christchurch health manager says. Union and Community Health
Service manager Genelle Gordon said the service was recently forced
to close its central city clinic and make two staff redundant. It
was expecting further cuts to its services.ChCh Press
23/03/10
• Govt funding cuts have forced the axing of an
advertising campaign targeting problem gamblers as the number of
people seeking help soars. the Problem Gambling Foundation halted a
$55,000 radio campaign - urging troubled gamblers to seek help -
after just 6 months when the ministry cut $275,000 from its annual
grant. ChCh Press 30/04/10
• Concern and uncertainty surrounds one of
Christchurch's health services with the respite care home, Newell
House, closing its doors next month is run by the Oxford Terrace
Baptist Church and provides respite care for mentally ill women and
their children. TVNZ 30/04/10
• Plea over medical training Christchurch
Hospital surgeons are refining their skills among buckets of
rainwater while nurses are training in store rooms, says the head
of Canterbury's clinical skills unit. ChCh Press 01/05/10
• A move to make GPs unavailable in Rangiora and
Kaiapoi after hours goes against the Government's health
priorities, a Canterbury DHB member says. Andrew Dickerson became
concerned after hearing news that GPs across Rangiora and Kaiapoi
will not work after 5pm on weekdays anymore and not at all on
weekends. ChCh Press 05/07/10
• Acute 24/7 surgery to go. Canterbury DHB
plans to scrap 24/7 acute surgical services from November are
alarming health professionals. A 3 month trial will start 1
August. Dr Chris Ryan a board member but also an Ashburton GP
says the loss of anaesthetists may mean seriously ill patients may
not be able to be stabilised in the 'golden hour' before being sent
to Christchurch. Ashburton Guardian 13/07/10
• Auckland cancer patients will be flown to
Christchurch for private radiotherapy while Canterbury patients
wait up to six weeks for treatment. St George's Hospital chief
executive Tony Hunter said the Auckland District Health Board
approached the private provider a week ago about radiation
treatment for Auckland public patients. The new contract was
revealed yesterday, four days after Director-General of Health
Stephen McKernan told Canterbury health chiefs that their cancer
treatment waiting times were a concern. He told the Canterbury
District Health Board (CDHB) on Friday that Canterbury's
preparation was "crucially important" to meeting a four-week target
for radiotherapy by December. The target was now six weeks.ChCh
Press 21/07/10 Cost-cutting takes away home help from
elderly.
• Two-thirds of Canterbury elderly have had
their home help axed or reduced in what critics call a
"cost-cutting exercise". Between October and May, a board-funded
agency reassessed 2400 people receiving home help. Of those, 101
lost their help and 1400 had their hours reduced. ChCh Press
05/08/10
• Suicide expert quits country 'in despair'An
international expert on suicide prevention left New Zealand "in
despair" over lack of Government funding, a colleague says.
Professor David Fergusson, of Otago University, said the Canterbury
Suicide Project, established in 1991, ended when Annette Beautrais
returned to work at Yale in the United States 18 months ago "in
despair". "The whole area of suicide research in Canterbury has
ceased largely because her work was not supported or recognised by
the Ministry of Health," he said. "She became extremely
disillusioned." ChCh Press 12/08/10
• Funds cut for suicide bereaved A counselling
service for people who have lost family members to suicide has
suffered a government funding cut, despite relatives being at
greater risk of self-harm. Clinical Advisory Services Aotearoa
(Casa) provided counselling to family after a suicide as part of a
Health Ministry initiative called Postvention. However, chairman
Stephen Lisk said funding for the service was cut in June.ChCh
Press 20/08/10
• Family fed up with waiting A
disappointing run with the Canterbury health system has resulted in
an Amberly family making a life-changing decision to move to
Australia for help. Colin and Patricia Vujcich have decided to
relocate their family to Sydney in a bid to get help for their
six-year-old, Eva, who has symptoms of Marfan syndrome. Eva's
quality of life has been deteriorating over the last five years
while she has been waiting for various appointments necessary to
diagnose her condition. After an appointment made in January
through the Canterbury health system was once again delayed, Mr and
Mrs Vujcich decided to make the more permanent move to Sydney.
Northern Outlook Rangiora 02/09/10
• Child cancer unit called 'atrocious'
Canterbury urgently needs a new child cancer unit as the current
accommodation is "atrocious", a Canterbury District Health Board
(CDHB) member says. Christchurch Hospital has been treating
Wellington child cancer patients since the Capital and Coast
District Health ChCh Press 21/09/10
• Intensive care unit 'in crisis' Christchurch
Hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) is in "crisis", its clinical
director says. Some patients had to be transferred earlier than
planned, heart surgeries had to be cancelled and staff had to work
overtime. Dr Seton Henderson said the unit was resourced for 15
intensive-care beds, but had had to cope with between 16 and 18
patients for the past two weeks. Some days, more than 20 patients
were going through the unit. ChCh Press 14/10/10
• Disabled still living in rest homes A lack of
suitable housing for people with disabilities is still forcing some
to live in rest homes, a support group says. ChCh Press
18/10/10
• Pressure on heart diagnosis Christchurch
Hospital's waiting list for angiograms to diagnose heart disease
has jumped to about 200 people as the hospital struggles to deal
with record numbers since last month's earthquake. The cardiac unit
is also coping with just one working diagnostic laboratory when
patient volumes mean it needs four, its clinical director says.
David Smyth said it was inevitable some patients would die while
waiting up to six months to be seen. The waiting times are much
higher than in Britain and Australia. Smyth said it was a
challenging time for the unit, which was still dealing with the
effects of the Canterbury quake. The September 4 quake triggered
record numbers of heart attacks. ChCh Press 21/10/10
• Waiting lists grow as strikes bite
Christchurch Hospital has spent $243,000 on private MRI scans as it
struggles to control a ballooning waiting list during months of
radiographers' strikes. More than 500 Canterbury patients are on a
waiting list for MRI scans, with a waiting time of up to six
months. ChCh Press 02/11/10
South Canterbury
• South Canterbury DHB has said it will be
reducing the amount of patients seen in its Emergency Department by
up to 5000 people a year. SCDHB has also signalled that it is
looking to reduce the number of patients using radiology
services.
• The DHB also confirmed that it would be axing
up to 200 elective operations per year because of a cut in
Government funding.
• Hospital turning away patients. Central
Medical GP Steve Dawson said 49 of his practice clients received
letters saying specialists at Oamaru Hospital could not see them
last week.The only options we have is to re-refer them, suggest
they use the private health system, or attempt to treat them
ourselves. Oamaru Mail 15/12/09
• Cuts to elderly care in South Canterbury The
Timaru Herald 30/07/09
• Health plan to show details of $1.4m cuts
Cost-cutting of up to $1.4 million will be outlined when the South
Canterbury District Health Board releases its annual plan tomorrow.
The plan was approved by Health Minister Tony Ryall last Tuesday
and formal approval would be sought from board members at their
meeting this Friday. The Timaru Herald 24/08/10
Otago/Southland
• Southland and Otago DHBs have confirmed they
are cutting home support services to reduce costs. The Boards were
looking to make savings of up to $10 million by reducing home
support services for elderly. Southland Times 22/04/09
• Dunstan Hospital reduces community physio and
disability home support Southland Times 17/08/09
• Rural maternity stays for the chop The time
new mums spend at rural maternity homes in Southland could be
slashed as the Southland District Health Board proposes to cut
funding. A document leaked to The Southland Times shows the
Southland District Health Board is proposing to cut funding by 30
per cent to the Winton Maternity Centre, run by the Central
Southland Hospital Trust. Southland 04/11/09
• Hospitals propose preferential treatment for
those who can pay Bridging the Gaps NZ Herald
25/01/10
• By Elspeth McLean and Eileen Goodwin on Tue,
Otago Daily Times 16/03/10 Otago faces a "massive wave" of elderly
needing rest-home space that might not be available, if
cost-cutting forces rest-homes out of business, New Zealand Aged
Care Association board member Malcolm Hendry says.
• South Link Health has shed its general manager
position as it continues to "cut the cloth to fit" its
circumstances. NZ Doctor 02/06/10
• Home help slashed by 1000 hours a week
Southland people have lost more than 1000 hours a week of home help
and will almost certainly lose even more as the Southern District
Health Board seeks to slash millions of dollars from its budget.
The board has cut a total of 1493 hours a week of home help
services across Southland and Otago with the southern region
bearing the brunt of the cuts to date with 1091 hours lost to 682
people Southland Times 04/06/10
• Hospital needs 'business focus' Lakes District
Hospital was "permanently in financial difficulty" and some sort of
public-private partnership would improve its viability, Deputy
Prime Minister, Finance Minister and local MP Bill English said in
Queenstown yesterday. Southland Times 05/06/10
• 682 Southlanders have lost home help
Government is being accused of breaching the United Nations'
charter on human rights and could face legal action over cuts to
home help for the elderly. Meetings have been held throughout the
country as part of a Labour and Green Party "investigation" into
the state of aged care but it was clearly the cuts to home help in
Southland that resulted in 200 people attending the meeting
yesterday. More than 20 people stood up and told of how they or
their relatives or friends had been cut from the system. The
Southland 15/06/10
• Home help cuts biting A massive reduction in
housework allowances for sick Southlanders is starting to hit home,
and senior citizens claim they are bearing the brunt of the
Government's cost cutting. Jenny and Bert Porter are typical of the
687 people who have had their domestic assistance entitlements
reduced or cut by the Southern District Health Board during the
past year. The Southland Times 18/06/10
• Staff cap adds to hospital pressure Lack of
money and the cap on administrative staff is putting staff under
pressure, Dunedin Hospital's chief medical officer, Richard Bunton,
says. ASMS Ian Powell and PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff
both said Mr Bunton's concerns would apply to other areas of the
country. ODT 26/06/10
• SDHB members should speak out over
neurosurgery services and have the courage to back their chief
executive's bid to employ two neurosurgeons immediately, an Otago
woman with recent experience of the service says. She was critical
of the proposal to base all six neurosurgeons in a regional service
in ChCh. She was concerned there had been no public debate
over neurosurgery services around the Southern District Health
Board table and no opportunity for community input. ODT 28/06/10
• $900,000 shortfall; clinic losing 10 staff
Dunedin's Ashburn Clinic is losing nearly 10 full-time equivalent
staff, combining two inpatient wards and mothballing a hostel to
make up a $900,000 funding shortfall. During the past five years,
ACC funding for sexual-abuse inpatients dropped from $2 million to
$900,000 in the 2009-10 financial year.The clinic lost a $500,000
five-bed eating-disorder contract with the Ministry of Health,
effective from the end of this month. ODT 29/06/10
• Risk of hospital unit loss 'reason to worry'
The head of the Southern District Health Board has said people
worried Dunedin Hospital might lose neurosurgical services were
"absolutely" right to be concerned. Southland Times
14/07/10
• Grey Power Southland has lodged its case with
the Human Rights Commissioner about cuts to home help in Southland.
The case was based on reducing home-help services on the basis of
age. That was contrary to the United Nations charter on human
rights to which the Government was a signatory. Mr Piercy said they
had included "quite a large number" of examplesof how the cuts were
impacting. They included "instances where people have been admitted
to hospital because their care has been withdrawn". The
Southland Times 27/07/10
• Ashburn staff laid off Last month, Ashburn,
the country's oldest private psychiatric hospital, announced it had
to drop 9.7 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff to cope with a
$900,000 funding shortfall. Mr Smith's own position reduces from
full-time to 0.5FTE. As well as that, kitchen staff reduce 1FTE,
psychiatric staff 0.7FTE, psychotherapy 1FTE, office staff 1FTE and
nurses 5.5FTE. "It has been distressing for staff to see long-time
work colleagues going, and to see Alexander House shut." Ashburn,
established in 1882, had never had to cut staff before, he said.
ODT 27/07/10
• We speak with one voice. The scene at Dunedin
Town Hall yesterday evening as about 1000 people gathered at short
notice to support the retention of neurosurgery services in
Dunedin. Among the messages read to the meeting was one from all
four southern National MPs saying, in their view, on the
information available, the needs of the people of Otago and
Southland would be best served by the provision of a clinically
robust and sustainable neurosurgery service based in Christchurch
and Dunedin. While MPs Michael Woodhouse, Eric Roy and Jacqui Dean
have given clear support for a Dunedin service, it is the first
time deputy prime minister and Clutha Southland MP Bill English has
done so.ODT 06/08/10
• Youth health centres could be at risk.
Parliament's health select committee today heard submissions on the
country's 11 "youth one-stop shops", which offer a range of
community-based health and social services to people in their teens
and early 20s. A one-stop shop in Christchurch closed its doors
earlier this year after the Canterbury District Health Board (DHB)
pulled its funding amid concerns over its finances. Another centre
in Invercargill is under threat after the Southland DHB axed its
funding. Otago Daily Times 18/08/10
• Sickness result of housework cuts: St Kilda
pensioner John Currie said he was so worried about his housework
help being cut to 30 minutes a week, he ended up in hospital. The
94-year-old, who prides himself on his resilience and independence,
was in Dunedin Hospital for two nights last week with pleurisy. He
had exerted himself more than usual, by doing his vacuuming,
additional to other chores he does, such as making his bed.
However, he believes nervous exhaustion through worry about his
housework - rather than physical exertion - made him ill.
Initially, in March, the Southern District Health Board said Mr
Currie would lose his one and a-half hours' help, but he was given
30 minutes a week on appeal. The former Ohai coalminer and World
War 2 veteran, who served in the Pacific, reckons he deserves a bit
more state help.ODT 24/08/2010
• DHB restructuring terminates six jobs The
Southern District Health Board is shedding six full-time jobs in
its planning and funding, and finance divisions. The board's
finance and funding general manager, Robert Mackway-Jones, was
tight-lipped about the restructuring, refusing to answer most of
the Otago Daily Times' questions. ODT 28/08/2010
• Trust sees threat in maternity review A
Winton-based medical trust has called on support from Venture
Southland to help keep its maternity centre from being shut down.
The Central Southland Hospital Charitable Trust, which runs the
Winton Maternity Centre, has asked Venture to compile a report that
outlines the need for the centre to remain open. The centre's
operating costs, along with all other rural maternity centres in
Southland and Otago, are under review by the Southern District
Health Board as it seeks to address issues raised by rural midwives
about financial concerns. The Southland Times 04/09/10
• Staff cuts as health board rationalises Robert
Mackway-Jones The Southern District Health Board is reducing its
planning and funding department and centralising it in Dunedin. The
planning and funding department, as well as the finance department,
are being pruned, with 6.5 to 6.8 full-time equivalent positions
set to go. ODT 04/09/10
• Concerns over mental health deficit Robert
Mackway-Jones The Southern District Health Board says a looming
mental health care deficit means some services may be reduced as
the board seeks to balance its books. ODT 02/10/10
• Millar warns of service cutbacks Outgoing
Southern District Health Board chairman Errol Millar is warning
that health services will have to be cut to satisfy the
Government's budget targets. Health Minister Tony Ryall has offered
virtually no explanation for his decision not to reappoint Mr
Millar other than he wanted someone more suited to the
"consolidation" phase of the new board. Mr Millar said it probably
related to the ongoing deficit that the Southland and Otago boards
had been running for several years. He warned that the only way to
balance the books was to cut health services. Southland
Times 06/11/10
• Threshold raised for eye surgery Increased
demand for cataract surgery and a lack of capacity to carry out
extra work has resulted in Dunedin Hospital raising the threshold
for such operations. The threshold for the surgery had been
increased by five points on the clinical priority assessment
criteria (CPAC) scoring system. The information used for this is
compiled by the consultant assessing the patient and allocating
scores and also the patient filling out a social score about how
they are affected by their condition. The points now need to add up
to 55 to qualify. Some people visually unfit to drive may have a
long wait before surgery, but Dr Coop said not being fit to drive
was not a sole factor which would qualify a patient for surgery.
ODT 13/12/10 04/06/10
• Pressure builds against cuts About 120 people
braved bitterly cold temperatures in Palmerston North's Square to
protest MidCentral District Health Board cuts. Sixteen speakers
called for the community to put pressure on the board and the
Government to stop planned "changes" to frontline health services.
"They tell us this is not about cuts, but about change. Well, I beg
to differ," said Manawatu Stewart Centre manager Janet Webb.Man Std
10/06/2010
• Record numbers hinder ED target Waikato DHB
faces a near-impossible task of achieving the Government's six-hour
emergency department health target by the June 30 deadline. May
figures for the DHB showed a slide in the ED's ability to treat and
discharge or admit 95 per cent of patients within a six-hour time
frame. 79.8 % - a 5 per cent drop on April results where 84.9 %.
DHB acute services assistant group manager Kevin Harris said record
numbers of patients coming into the emergency departments had taken
a toll on achieving the target. And it wasn't people who should be
going to their GP first who were to blame. Waikato Times
12/06/10
• Dozens of jobs face axe DHB management is
refusing to confirm how many people will lose their jobs - from
report Safely Reducing our Spending Wanganui Chronicle
14/06/10
• Westport will have about half as many GPs as
it needs between now and the end of October, but Buller Health
Medical Centre is confident it will cope. Buller Medical has three
full-time equivalent (FTE) permanent GPs available at present:Fully
staffed, the practice needs six to eight permanent GPs.
Buller Medical is also short of nurses. It has 6.13FTE nurses,
about two fewer than it would like. The News Westport
15/06/10
• 682 Southlanders have lost home help
Government is being accused of breaching the United Nations'
charter on human rights and could face legal action over cuts to
home help for the elderly. Meetings have been held throughout the
country as part of a Labour and Green Party "investigation" into
the state of aged care but it was clearly the cuts to home help in
Southland that resulted in 200 people attending the meeting
yesterday. More than 20 people stood up and told of how they or
their relatives or friends had been cut from the system.The
Southland 15/06/10
• Hutt health group says funding cuts will hit
high needs patients A Hutt primary health organisation (PHO) with
92 per cent of patients classified as "high needs" says it's being
forced to cut frontline staff hours and/or increase fees because of
funding cuts. Piki Te Ora ki Te Awakairangi has 12,600 patients
enrolled with the Hutt Union (HUCHS) practices in Petone and
Pomare, Whai Oranga in Wainuiomata and the Pacific Health Service
in Naenae. HUCHs manager Sally Nicholl says discretionary funding
to the PHO from the Hutt Valley District Health Board is to be
halved (to about $300,000) and it's also expecting lower Govt
funding Hutt News 15/06/10
• Our story sparks 'gagging' letter A stern
letter from Hawke's Bay DHB has left PHO managers in the district
worried about speaking to the media.The confidential letter (21 May
2009), addressed to Wairoa PHO chair Ian Redshaw, demanded an
apology for Wairoa PHO manager Margie Sullivan's comments in New
Zealand Doctor (20 May 2009) concerning the DHB's, to that point,
inflexible response to questions about a $35,000 bill for mistakes
in general practice enrolment forms. Since then, Ms Sullivan says
she and other PHO managers have felt unsure what they can or cannot
talk about and almost like they can't say anything at all. Another
Hawke's Bay PHO manager, Tu Meke's Lynda Creighton, actually drew
New Zealand Doctor's attention to the letter's existence, citing it
as the reason she wouldn't be saying "anything radical". NZ
Doctor 16/06/10
• Patients at a Whangarei medical centre
battling for entry to a government scheme that keeps GP fees under
$17 have started lobbying the health minister. More than 100
patients from the Bush Road Medical Centre have sent a letter
addressed to Tony Ryall saying the practice's exclusion from
the Very Low Cost Access scheme breaches their human
rights by denying equitable funding for general practice care."My
high need exists whether I stay with my practice or decide to join
a practice with high needs funding," reads the letter, written by a
practice partner. NZ Docto 16/06/10
• Budget cuts raise cost of GP visits for poorer
patients Patients in some of the poorest parts of Lower Hutt will
pay more for doctors' visits, with funding to a local health
organisation set to be cut.The move has sparked fears that
low-income patients may stop going to their GPs, get sicker and end
up in hospital. The Hutt-based Piki te Ora Primary Health
Organisation will have $95,000 cut from its budget from July 1 -
money used to subsidise the cost of healthcare for people unable to
afford doctors' visits. Dom Post 17/06/10
• Home help cuts biting A massive reduction in
housework allowances for sick Southlanders is starting to hit home,
and senior citizens claim they are bearing the brunt of the
Government's cost cutting. Jenny and Bert Porter are typical of the
687 people who have had their domestic assistance entitlements
reduced or cut by the Southern District Health Board during the
past year.The Southland Times 18/06/10
• Cuts leave the elderly helpless Grey Power
will complain to the Human Rights Commission that health board cuts
to the elderly's home help is age discrimination. Hundreds of
pensioners who rely on help for home cleaning and groceries have
had their care reduced.The Dominion Post 19/06/10
• Doctor exodus puts pressure on training So
many New Zealand-trained medical registrars are leaving the country
that our top doctors are wondering why we train them at all. Half
of all the medical registrars in their final year of training go
overseas, according to a survey that found the lure of a pay
difference, amounting to $70,000 in Australia, for instance, was
driving the exodus. Powell said the situation was a crisis and
"generally a crisis comes a bit before a collapse". Sunday Star
20/06/10
• Reduction in activity for DHB goes ahead A
"planned reduction in activity" has gone ahead this week as the
Capital and Coast District Health Board (CCDHB) tries to save money
Some elective surgeries and non-essential support services would
not be scheduled for this week and some staff had been asked to
take annual leave, starting from today NZPA 21/06/10
• Turn 65 and look out. Grey Power put out
media statement commenting on private health insurance premium
rises for their age group in addition to: Hearing aids and
batteries no longer subsidized by ACC for industrial deafness
suffered earlier in life, Home Help cut/discontinued and Elder
Abuse in Rest Homes Grey Power media release 21/06/10
• Drug, alcohol centre loses funding St Marks
Adult Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre, in Blenheim, had a $70,000
contract with the Health Ministry to treat people with convictions.
Centre manager Lois Miller said the contract funded two beds for 12
months. Marlborough Express 24/06/10
• Anger over mother left in faeces A Masterton
woman is upset at Wellington Hospital after her mother was
allegedly left lying in her own faeces for three hours. The
65-year-old woman, who has a bowel condition, was not attended to
last Thursday afternoon despite buzzing every half an hour, her
daughter said yesterday. Wairarapa Times Age
24/06/10
• OIA request to Nelson Marlborough DHB reveals
$600,000 cut to mental health provision for 2010/2011
25/06/10
• Major reshaping for Wairoa Health body.
District likely to lose its PHO."I'm worried that decisions about
Wairoa health will not be made by Wairoa people as there are no
Wairoa people on the DHB" said Margie Sullivan Gisborne
Herald 25/06/10
• Staff cap adds to hospital pressure Lack of
money and the cap on administrative staff is putting staff under
pressure, Dunedin Hospital's chief medical officer, Richard Bunton,
says. ASMS Ian Powell and PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff
both said Mr Bunton's concerns would apply to other areas of the
country. ODT 26/06/10
• Starvation Eminent In Prime Minister's
Electorate. Government plan on withdrawing their subsidy for Meals
on Wheels in the Prime Minister's own electorate The service will
cease in September and Grey Power suspect the same will follow in
other areas shortly thereafter Grey Power 28/06/10
• SDHB members should speak out over
neurosurgery services and have the courage to back their chief
executive's bid to employ two neurosurgeons immediately, an Otago
woman with recent experience of the service says. She was critical
of the proposal to base all six neurosurgeons in a regional service
in ChCh. She was concerned there had been no public debate
over neurosurgery services around the Southern District Health
Board table and no opportunity for community input. ODT 28/06/10
• $900,000 shortfall; clinic losing 10 staff
Dunedin's Ashburn Clinic is losing nearly 10 full-time equivalent
staff, combining two inpatient wards and mothballing a hostel to
make up a $900,000 funding shortfall. During the past five years,
ACC funding for sexual-abuse inpatients dropped from $2 million to
$900,000 in the 2009-10 financial year.The clinic lost a $500,000
five-bed eating-disorder contract with the Ministry of Health,
effective from the end of this month.ODT 29/06/10
• "New Budget spending for health is welcomed
but the nursing sector is still bracing itself for service cuts and
restructuring. "NZ Nursing Review June 2010
July 2010
• Te Whai Oranga O Te Iwi Health Centre a Maori
Health Centre in Wainuiomata losing 4 doctors on 1 July email
• Government's Bonding Scheme Won't Solve Senior
Hospital Doctor Shortages Crisis Press Release by Association of
Salaried Medical Specialists 01/07/10
• A move to make GPs unavailable in Rangiora and
Kaiapoi after hours goes against the Government's health
priorities, a Canterbury DHB member says. Andrew Dickerson became
concerned after hearing news that GPs across Rangiora and Kaiapoi
will not work after 5pm on weekdays anymore and not at all on
weekends. ChCh Press 05/07/10
• GP consultations to rise with GST rise Timaru
Herald 6/07/10
• Scaled-back proposals for cuts at MidCentral
Health's Diabetes Lifestyle Centre still don't wash with Diabetes
Manawatu secretary Kathy Scott. The option of slashing the jobs of
five nurses, a dietitian and an office worker has been put
alongside a less-drastic second option that would see just one
nurse and a part-time administrator out of work. "It would mean
there would be no service when that one nurse was sick or on leave,
and to try to work without a dietitian would be no service at all."
Man Std 6/07/10
• Taihape health care on last legs Otaihape
Health is facing a budget deficit of $500,000 for the 2010-11 year
and wages are a major component. Mr Hefford said Otaihape Health
had three options - continue the status quo, agree to a cost and
funding restructure with the WDHB and staff, or quit. Whanganui
Chronicle 7/07/10
• 12 jobs cut after PHO merger Twelve management
and administration jobs have been cut from MidCentral's four
primary health organisations, saving $378,000. Manawatu,
Tararua, Horowhenua and Otaki PHOs, merged into one Central PHO at
the start of July. Man Std 10/07/10
• Budget documents reveal $10 million a year
'new' electives money announced in Budget is for rejected ACC
patients flooding the health system Ruth Dyson media release
12/07/10
• Frontline public health programmes slashed
under National: $12 million from tobacco control, $8million of
sexual health promotion and prevention programmes, $1 million from
public health alcohol and drug services, $4 million from mental
health workforce development and $1.2 million from the Like Minds
Like Mine campaign. Ruth Dyson media release 13/07/10
• Acute 24/7 surgery to go. Canterbury DHB plans
to scrap 24/7 acute surgical services from November are alarming
health professionals. A 3 month trial will start 1 August. Dr
Chris Ryan a board member but also an Ashburton GP says the loss of
anaesthetists may mean seriously ill patients may not be able to be
stabilised in the 'golden hour' before being sent to Christchurch.
Ashburton Guardian 13/07/10
• Risk of hospital unit loss 'reason to worry'
The head of the Southern District Health Board has said people
worried Dunedin Hospital might lose neurosurgical services were
"absolutely" right to be concerned. Southland Times 14/07/10
• OIA reply from Capital and Coast DHB reveals
almost $5 million cut in mental health provision for 2010/2011
15/07/10
• ELDERLY west Auckland patients are being
diverted to Takapuna and waiting up to six hours for treatment
because of bed and staff shortages at Waitakere and North Shore
hospitals. The Western Leader knows of at least two separate cases
involving a 78-year-old Titirangi man and a 70-year-old Henderson
woman this month. Western Leader 20/07/10
• Dementia patient in jail over 'three strikes'
case A 69-year-old with Parkinson's disease and mild dementia is in
Rimutaka Prison awaiting a "three strikes" offence hearing, as
neither his home for the disabled nor his family will take him in.
Dom Post 20/07/10
• Constant' offending a cry for DHB's help A
judge has sided with a solvents abuser, convicted thief and "old
friend", urging health authorities to cut through the "bureaucratic
logjams" that have seen her wait months for treatment. Upper Hutt
Leader 21/07/10
• Auckland cancer patients will be flown to
Christchurch for private radiotherapy while Canterbury patients
wait up to six weeks for treatment. St George's Hospital chief
executive Tony Hunter said the Auckland District Health Board
approached the private provider a week ago about radiation
treatment for Auckland public patients. The new contract was
revealed yesterday, four days after Director-General of Health
Stephen McKernan told Canterbury health chiefs that their cancer
treatment waiting times were a concern. He told the Canterbury
District Health Board (CDHB) on Friday that Canterbury's
preparation was "crucially important" to meeting a four-week target
for radiotherapy by December. The target was now six weeks. ChCh
Press 21/07/10
• Patients on beds at North Shore ED Radio New
Zealand 21/07/10
• Patients on beds in corridors at Waikato
hospital also RNZ 22/07/10
• Cuts to nursing services granted Cuts to
rehabilitation and district nursing services have been approved
without a murmur of dissent by the MidCentral District Health
Board. It is estimated the changes will contribute $478,000 in
savings towards the board's attempts to cut $10 million from its
spending.Man Std 22/07/10
• Another major hospital had to put patients on
beds in corridors this week because of high numbers at its
emergency department.
• North Shore hospital is grappling with
overcrowding despite criticism by the Health and Disability
Commissioner a year ago about substandard care.
• Waikato hospital now says it's inundated with
patients as well.
• Hawke's Bay District Health Board has received
five notices of industrial action by Medical Radiation
Technologists (MRT) who are members of APEX (Association of
Professionals and Executive Employees).This includes Medical
Radiation Technologists, Darkroom Technicians, Radiology Clinical
Assistants, Student Medical Radiation Technologists, Sonographers
or Student Trainee Sonographers and PACS administrators. Press
Release by Hawke's Bay District Health Board 23/07/10
• Grey Power Southland has lodged its case with
the Human Rights Commissioner about cuts to home help in Southland.
The case was based on reducing home-help services on the basis of
age. That was contrary to the United Nations charter on human
rights to which the Government was a signatory. Mr Piercy said they
had included "quite a large number" of examplesof how the cuts were
impacting. They included "instances where people have been admitted
to hospital because their care has been withdrawn". The Southland
Times 27/07/10
• Ashburn staff laid off Last month, Ashburn,
the country's oldest private psychiatric hospital, announced it had
to drop 9.7 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff to cope with a
$900,000 funding shortfall. Mr Smith's own position reduces from
full-time to 0.5FTE. As well as that, kitchen staff reduce 1FTE,
psychiatric staff 0.7FTE, psychotherapy 1FTE, office staff 1FTE and
nurses 5.5FTE. "It has been distressing for staff to see long-time
work colleagues going, and to see Alexander House shut." Ashburn,
established in 1882, had never had to cut staff before, he said.
ODT 27/07/10
August 2010
• Lack of funds harming kids' health says report
Children are subsidising adults in primary care, says a report to
Capital & Coast DHB's board meeting tomorrow, as members
grapple with how to correct "disadvantage" in investment in child
health. Dom Post 03/08/10
• Cost-cutting takes away home help from
elderly. Two-thirds of Canterbury elderly have had their home help
axed or reduced in what critics call a "cost-cutting exercise".
Between October and May, a board-funded agency reassessed 2400
people receiving home help. Of those, 101 lost their help and 1400
had their hours reduced. ChCh Press 05/08/10
• But the Canterbury District Health Board
(CDHB) says that although it has been taking people off short-term
help, it has increased the number of elderly getting long-term or
complex care and is spending more on home support.
• We speak with one voice. The scene at Dunedin
Town Hall yesterday evening as about 1000 people gathered at short
notice to support the retention of neurosurgery services in
Dunedin. Among the messages read to the meeting was one from all
four southern National MPs saying, in their view, on the
information available, the needs of the people of Otago and
Southland would be best served by the provision of a clinically
robust and sustainable neurosurgery service based in Christchurch
and Dunedin. While MPs Michael Woodhouse, Eric Roy and Jacqui Dean
have given clear support for a Dunedin service, it is the first
time deputy prime minister and Clutha Southland MP Bill English has
done so.ODT 06/08/10
• I can't cut any more, says outgoing DHB boss.
Wellington's district health board chief has quit, saying he cannot
cut costs any further without undermining patient care. In an email
to staff explaining his reasons for leaving his $430,000-a-year
job, he said there was no more room to cut the district health
board's costs, despite Government pressure to do so. "I cannot see
where any more major efficiency can come from without negatively
impacting on services." Dom Post 06/08/10
• Carry on cutting, Ryall tells DHB Health
Minister Tony Ryall has made it clear the Government wants further
savings from Wellington's district health board, despite warnings
that any more efficiencies will hurt health services. Capital &
Coast District Health Board chief executive Ken Whelan announced
his resignation last week after more than two years at the helm.
Dom Post 09/08/10
• Junior doctors facing big pay cut Locum rates
for Auckland-based doctors are about to be halved in a move
registrars say will leave shifts uncovered and place more stress on
hard-working staff. But hospital managers say the slashed payment
is to bring locum rates in Auckland into line with other district
health boards around the country. Sunday Star Times
08/08/10
• Mental health groups respond to cuts Mental
health support providers say Nelson Marlborough District Health
Board's $1.54 million budget cuts are alarming, and that the
long-term effects on the mentally ill are unknown. Representatives
of 18 non-government organisations (NGOs) are writing a report for
the board on how the cuts will affect clients, and plan to deliver
it in the next month. Co-chairman of the top of the south mental
health NGO provider network, Te Ara Mahi manager Peter Rees, said
NGOs and families didn't know what the changes would mean "on the
ground". "The outcomes have alarmed our service users and their
families." Nelson Mail 09/08/10
• Funding cut hurts On July 1, Helping Hands
lost funding for a half-time employment support worker. Before
Helping Hands, Peter Tinirau would just sit at home. He says
working gave him what he calls "my firepower - my life source". But
work can be hard to come by in Golden Bay, particularly if you have
mental health issues. Helping Hands made all the difference to him.
The Takaka centre gave him structure and an extra $60-$80 a week on
top of his "incredibly low" benefit. Without it, he believes the
other option was to be "locked up inside". "It's something to get
out of bed for if you're not too well," he says. The centre's only
funding now is from the Ministry of Social Development, which funds
it for 35 clients. Nelson Mail 10/08/10
• Suicide expert quits country 'in despair' An
international expert on suicide prevention left New Zealand "in
despair" over lack of Government funding, a colleague says.
Professor David Fergusson, of Otago University, said the Canterbury
Suicide Project, established in 1991, ended when Annette Beautrais
returned to work at Yale in the United States 18 months ago "in
despair". "The whole area of suicide research in Canterbury has
ceased largely because her work was not supported or recognised by
the Ministry of Health," he said. "She became extremely
disillusioned." ChCh Press 12/08/10
• Addiction centre fights to stay put
Residential addiction centres are a threatened species, says a
grim-faced Dr Tim Bevin. There are four publicly-funded residential
centres for drug and alcohol addiction in the Bay. But given New
Zealand's attitude towards alcohol alone, few would disagree with
Dr Bevin when he says there's an ever-growing need for these
centres. Which is why he and the other five members of the
Springhill Residential Addiction Centre Trust are determined to
hold on to their Napier site. It won't be an easy task. The
Springhill Addiction Centre needs to find funding to the tune of $2
million to continue to run from its current site. Hawkes Bay
Today 14/08/10
• Youth health centres could be at risk.
Parliament's health select committee today heard submissions on the
country's 11 "youth one-stop shops", which offer a range of
community-based health and social services to people in their teens
and early 20s. A one-stop shop in Christchurch closed its doors
earlier this year after the Canterbury District Health Board (DHB)
pulled its funding amid concerns over its finances. Another centre
in Invercargill is under threat after the Southland DHB axed its
funding. Otago Daily Times 18/08/10
• Funds cut for suicide bereaved A counselling
service for people who have lost family members to suicide has
suffered a government funding cut, despite relatives being at
greater risk of self-harm. Clinical Advisory Services Aotearoa
(Casa) provided counselling to family after a suicide as part of a
Health Ministry initiative called Postvention. However, chairman
Stephen Lisk said funding for the service was cut in June.ChCh
Press 20/08/10
• Health plan to show details of $1.4m cuts
Cost-cutting of up to $1.4 million will be outlined when the South
Canterbury District Health Board releases its annual plan tomorrow.
The plan was approved by Health Minister Tony Ryall last Tuesday
and formal approval would be sought from board members at their
meeting this Friday. The Timaru Herald 24/08/10
• Sickness result of housework cuts: St Kilda
pensioner John Currie said he was so worried about his housework
help being cut to 30 minutes a week, he ended up in hospital. The
94-year-old, who prides himself on his resilience and independence,
was in Dunedin Hospital for two nights last week with pleurisy. He
had exerted himself more than usual, by doing his vacuuming,
additional to other chores he does, such as making his bed.
However, he believes nervous exhaustion through worry about his
housework - rather than physical exertion - made him ill.
Initially, in March, the Southern District Health Board said Mr
Currie would lose his one and a-half hours' help, but he was given
30 minutes a week on appeal.ODT 24/08/2010
• Beds for elderly in short supply ELDERLY
people seeking residential or respite care could be forced to go
out of the district as Gisborne retirement homes approach full
capacity. Hospital-level and dementia care beds are the most
critical, as pressure on residential beds for the aged persists,
says Tairawhiti District Health planning, funding and population
health manager Helene Carbonatto."This is a short issue but it will
be a very painful one for 12 months," Ms Carbonatto told the
community, public health and disability support advisory committee
this week. Gisborne Herald 26 /082010
• Painful financial times for health services
Nelson and Marlborough health services face a prolonged and painful
bout of restructuring after the district health board signalled it
was doubling the amount it must save to $20 million if it is to
meet the Government's demand that it break even within three
years.Nelson Mail 27/08/2010
• DHB restructuring terminates six jobs The
Southern District Health Board is shedding six full-time jobs in
its planning and funding, and finance divisions. The board's
finance and funding general manager, Robert Mackway-Jones, was
tight-lipped about the restructuring, refusing to answer most of
the Otago Daily Times' questions. ODT 28/08/2010
September 2010
• Inglewood retiree Bob Taylor is challenging
the Government to get its priorities right after he was declined a
second cataract operation. Mr Taylor, 72, was delighted when he had
a successful cataract operation on his left eye about four months
back which returned sight to that eye. "I was in a pretty bad way.
It gave me great sight." But when he tried to get his blurry right
eye fixed, he was sent a letter from the Taranaki District Health
Board telling him he would not get the second operation and to
return to his GP for care.Taranaki Daily News
02/09/10
• Rest home finally bows to struggle Staff,
trustees and families of residents of the Joan Whiting Rest Home in
Collingwood, Golden Bay's only rest home, are "heartbroken" the
home is to close on November 30 after a long and painful struggle
for financial survival.The Nelson Mail 01/09/10
• Family fed up with waiting A
disappointing run with the Canterbury health system has resulted in
an Amberly family making a life-changing decision to move to
Australia for help. Colin and Patricia Vujcich have decided to
relocate their family to Sydney in a bid to get help for their
six-year-old, Eva, who has symptoms of Marfan syndrome. Eva's
quality of life has been deteriorating over the last five years
while she has been waiting for various appointments necessary to
diagnose her condition. After an appointment made in January
through the Canterbury health system was once again delayed, Mr and
Mrs Vujcich decided to make the more permanent move to Sydney.
Northern Outlook Rangiora 02/09/10
• Home help for elderly slashed to save money Up
to 500 elderly or disabled people who receive help around the house
will have their assistance axed as Wellington's district health
board tries to save money. Capital & Coast District Health
Board announced yesterday that people receiving household
management help only and not personal health care would have that
help cut unless they had a community services card. From Monday,
any new patients referred for a home-help assessment will not be
eligible for help with cleaning, heavy lifting, meal preparation or
shopping unless they also need personal health and hygiene care.
Existing household management-only clients who do not have a
community services card will have their help cut at their first
re-assessment after December 1. The Dominion Post 03/09/10
• Trust sees threat in maternity review A
Winton-based medical trust has called on support from Venture
Southland to help keep its maternity centre from being shut down.
The Central Southland Hospital Charitable Trust, which runs the
Winton Maternity Centre, has asked Venture to compile a report that
outlines the need for the centre to remain open. The centre's
operating costs, along with all other rural maternity centres in
Southland and Otago, are under review by the Southern District
Health Board as it seeks to address issues raised by rural midwives
about financial concerns.The Southland Times
04/09/10
• Staff cuts as health board rationalises Robert
Mackway-Jones The Southern District Health Board is reducing its
planning and funding department and centralising it in Dunedin. The
planning and funding department, as well as the finance department,
are being pruned, with 6.5 to 6.8 full-time equivalent positions
set to go.ODT 04/09/10
• Bay of Plenty DHB cut Curruth Elderly
Day Care facility in Tauranga (private correspondence from
constituent)
• TDHB in red at start of year Just one month
into the new financial year, the Taranaki District Health Board's
hospital services are already $460,000 in the red. The July result
was announced at the board's meeting in New Plymouth and comes on
the heels of a $7.88 million loss the previous year. Taranaki Daily
News11/09/10
• How the hospital failed my daughter
Leanna Kairua's daughter Veronica endured two weeks of hell at
North Shore Hospital. Veronica, says her mother, went through
unnecessary suffering for a common, though potentially lethal,
complaint. Leanna Kairua witnessed her daughter in terrible pain
while dealing with Third World conditions at North Shore Hospital.
NZ Herald 11/09/10
• Tight finances will dominate Hutt Valley
health board's next triennium Peter Glensor, who has chaired the
board for the last seven years, says the signal from the Government
is that DHBs can expect lower increases in funding for several
years ahead. "Even if the recession were to end tomorrow, the
Government's finances will continue to bottom out for some time to
come," he says. Vote Health is the single biggest beneficiary of
government spending and up until this year, taxpayers have pumped
in an extra $750 million or so per annum. But in the May Budget the
increase was trimmed to $500m. HVDHB, which on a population basis
gets 3.8 per cent of the national funding, was already grappling
with a budget blowout which required it to find $10m in savings
just to finish $4.5m in the red. Hutt News 07/09/10
• Health cuts hit home Home support workers are
facing another blow to already-reduced working hours as changes to
household support on Monday could see their hours cut further.
Since last year many home support workers have lost working hours
after district health boards slashed the number of free cleaning
and household support hours for elderly and disabled people.
Workers are facing further cuts after Capital and Coast District
Health Board announced new referrals for household support would
only be eligible for people with a community services care, and who
did not receive personal care. Kapiti Observer 10/09/10
• Deaf Mental Health services cut in Mid Central
region by private correspondence 20/09/10
• Child cancer unit called 'atrocious'
Canterbury urgently needs a new child cancer unit as the current
accommodation is "atrocious", a Canterbury District Health Board
(CDHB) member says. Christchurch Hospital has been treating
Wellington child cancer patients since the Capital and Coast
District Health Board service was downgraded two years ago. ChCh
Press 21/09/10
• Acute geriatric hospital to close Nelson's
health bosses are planning to close the hospital that caters for
the region's highest-need elderly people with serious dementia and
mental illnesses. The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board
admits there are financial issues behind its proposal to close
Alexandra Hospital in Richmond but says that the over-riding reason
is changes in the care of "psychogeriatric" patients.Nelson
Mail 22/09/10
• Seven-week wait on Coast to see a GP The
retirement of a Greymouth GP has exacerbated the GP shortage on the
West Coast with patients having to wait up to seven weeks to see a
GP for non-urgent appointments. West Coast sickness beneficiary
Tony Whyte, who lives at Blackball, 28km from Greymouth, recently
hit the headlines when he went public about his concerns over the
delay in seeing a GP. New Zealand Doctor 08/09 2010
• ACC thrift leaves shortfall Belt-tightening
within the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) is hurting
Wairarapa Hospital's balance sheets as the national personal
accident insurer approves fewer operations. Wairarapa DHB has lost
about $80,000 in payments since the start of the year after it went
ahead with surgery that ACC later wouldn't cover. ACC is taking
longer to rubber-stamp compensation for surgeries but, for the sake
of patient health and safety, Wairarapa Hospital often has to carry
out the operations regardless. Wairarapa Times-Age 30/09/10
October 2010
• 50 jobs on line at DHB Up to 50 jobs are under
threat at the Northland District Health Board (NDHB). A proposed
restructure of its non-clinical staff has been announced. Northern
Advocate 01/1010
• Concerns over mental health deficit Robert
Mackway-Jones The Southern District Health Board says a looming
mental health care deficit means some services may be reduced as
the board seeks to balance its books. ODT 02/10/10
• Hours cuts may kill youth cancer service The
support service for adolescents and young people in cancer
treatment at Palmerston North Hospital is facing a cut so serious
its defenders fear it might not survive. The cut back in hours - to
three-tenths and four-tenths of full-time jobs in a
three-day-a-week service - has been sparked by the Health Ministry
cutting the budget to $61,000 a year. Manawatu Std
02/10/10
• Ryall: 400 Ministry of Health jobs to go The
Ministry of Health is expected to lose nearly 400 staff positions
over 2-1/2 years, Health Minister Tony Ryall says TV3
03/10/10
• Health board budget still under strain despite
cuts In spite of taking the axe to staff numbers, Wanganui's health
board budget remains on a knife edge. That assessment was delivered
by Whanganui District Health Board chief executive Julie Patterson
at the board's latest meeting. Wanganui Chronicle 06/10/10
• NZ doctor numbers in 'parlous state' New
Zealand is facing a doctor shortage crisis as the country continues
to haemorrhage locally trained physicians in large numbers to more
lucrative jobs overseas, the Association of Salaried Medical
Specialists (ASMS) says.ODT 11/10/10
• Intensive care unit 'in crisis' Christchurch
Hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) is in "crisis", its clinical
director says. Some patients had to be transferred earlier than
planned, heart surgeries had to be cancelled and staff had to work
overtime. Dr Seton Henderson said the unit was resourced for 15
intensive-care beds, but had had to cope with between 16 and 18
patients for the past two weeks. Some days, more than 20 patients
were going through the unit. ChCh Press 14/10/10
• Disabled still living in rest homes A lack of
suitable housing for people with disabilities is still forcing some
to live in rest homes, a support group says. ChCh Press
18/10/10
• DHBs: Patients hurt by 'dirty' industrial
tacticsDHBs say patients are being harmed by the "dirty" industrial
tactics of unionised radiographers and laboratory workers and have
asked the Government to "review" the right of health workers to
strike. The DHBs have listed potential harms to patients caused by
the current industrial action, including two patients whose scans
were deferred and have now been diagnosed with inoperable liver
cancer. "It is not known if this would have been treatable if the
scan had been done at the time requested two weeks previously," the
DHBs said. At a press conference in Wellington today, senior DHB
bureaucrats and doctors slammed the Medical Laboratory Workers
Union and the Association of Professionals and Executive Employees,
which represents radiographers. NZ Herald 20/10/10
• Pressure on heart diagnosis Christchurch
Hospital's waiting list for angiograms to diagnose heart disease
has jumped to about 200 people as the hospital struggles to deal
with record numbers since last month's earthquake. The cardiac unit
is also coping with just one working diagnostic laboratory when
patient volumes mean it needs four, its clinical director says.
David Smyth said it was inevitable some patients would die while
waiting up to six months to be seen. The waiting times are much
higher than in Britain and Australia. Smyth said it was a
challenging time for the unit, which was still dealing with the
effects of the Canterbury quake. The September 4 quake triggered
record numbers of heart attacks. ChCh Press 21/10/10
• Job cuts appal lab workers union Job losses
for Nelson medical laboratory workers show the Government is
reneging on its promise to fund more frontline health workers, says
the workers' union. MedLab South has proposed to cut a third of its
workers in Nelson and Marlborough, including almost six fulltime
equivalent jobs in Nelson, and send community lab tests to
Christchurch for processing. Urgent tests would still be processed
at Nelson Hospital.The Nelson Mail 21/10/10
• GP shortfall drives up fees Masterton
Medical's fees have increased more than other practices to help
cover the cost of bringing three doctors from the United States and
Britain to meet staff shortages.Fees went up across Wairarapa
medical practices on October 1 to cover the GST rise but at
Masterton Medical the fees rose slightly more to cover rising
costs. The practice has increased its standard fees by $4 for 25 to
65-year-olds - meaning a trip to the doctor now costs $35 for that
age group. Wairarapa Times 22/10/10
• Today I did postnatal visits of 5 women; three
homes were very cold with no heating. I have never experienced this
before. Coming to my clinic are women in very poor health with
diets of rice and cheap food. Email to from midwife Phil Goff
26/10/10
November 2010
• Waiting lists grow as strikes bite
Christchurch Hospital has spent $243,000 on private MRI scans as it
struggles to control a ballooning waiting list during months of
radiographers' strikes. More than 500 Canterbury patients are on a
waiting list for MRI scans, with a waiting time of up to six
months. ChCh Press 02/11/10
• Enough is Enough, says Waikato DHB Waikato
District Health Board has had enough of ongoing industrial action
by medical radiation technologists and is letting its staff,
patients and the community know.Chief executive Craig Climo today
said DHBs have had hundreds of strike notices over many months from
two unions."We want the public to know we've had enough. The
strikes are having a significant cumulative effect on patients'
access to services and are putting unfair pressure on other
staff.Press Release by Waikato District Health Board at
04/11/10
• GP wait list nears 2000 The number of people
in Horowhenua wanting to register with a doctor has stretched to
nearly 2000 people and continues to grow. One Horowhenua practice
reported turning away an estimated 20 patients a day and Foxton
Medical Centre said they had people ringing weekly and sometimes
daily to register with them, including people from Levin.
Horowhenua Mail 28/10/10
• Millar warns of service cutbacks Outgoing
Southern District Health Board chairman Errol Millar is warning
that health services will have to be cut to satisfy the
Government's budget targets. Health Minister Tony Ryall has offered
virtually no explanation for his decision not to reappoint Mr
Millar other than he wanted someone more suited to the
"consolidation" phase of the new board. Mr Millar said it probably
related to the ongoing deficit that the Southland and Otago boards
had been running for several years. He warned that the only way to
balance the books was to cut health services. Southland Times
06/11/10
• Alexandra Hospital staff fear for patients'
welfare Health workers at Richmond's Alexandra Hospital fear for
their patients under a new proposal put forward by the Nelson
Marlborough District Health Board to close the hospital and
contract care out to private providers. Alexandra Hospital provides
care for psychogeriatric patients, including dementia care, acute
care and long-term, or "continuing" care. Nelson Mail
06/11/10
• Provincial towns hit hard by GP shortage
People in some towns are having to wait several years to get a
doctor in their community due to a gap in the health workforce.
There are not enough General Practitioners (GPs) in New Zealand to
service people's health needs and some people are now choosing
where to live based on the quality of health services. The gap in
the health workforce has become a nationwide problem, but
provincial towns have been hit hardest. Levin resident Maria Whiti
said getting to see a doctor in her community is like a lottery and
she always has her fingers crossed. "You know, you might win [the
lottery] and get a doctor," she said. 08/11/10 ONE News
• Some fee rises from $35 to $42.50 for Under 17
year olds Tony Ryall said a $1 rise would be justified after the 1
Oct GST increase 17/11/10 ringing Capital and Coast GP practices
for under 17 fees* This was later revealed to be the figure
for the over 17s. Raumati practice has a $10 rise
• Cuts to diabetes centre 'broken promise'
Health watchdogs have slammed cuts to the Diabetes Lifestyle
Centre, confirmed yesterday by the MidCentral District Health
Board, as "reprehensible" and incredibly short-sighted. Diabetes
New Zealand president Chris Baty said the decision to cut a nurse
and a half-time administrator from the specialist service was a
huge disappointment given that demand for diabetes services was
going to grow. "None of it makes any sense at all. Manawatu
Standard 17/11/10
• Rest home closure plan sparks protest About
100 people were out protesting the pending closure of Taihape's
Ruanui House rest home yesterday morning, upset with the prospect
of having to shift loved ones out of town for care. This follows
the move into voluntary liquidation by Otaihape Health Ltd.Now the
Whanganui District Health Board is saying there was little chance
of Ruanui remaining open to permanent residents. Wendy Campbell was
among those at yesterday's meeting and said it was her "first ever
protest meeting". Mrs Campbell, who manages Kells Wool at Utiku,
said her parents, Lou and Joan Campbell had only shifted into the
home five months ago. The couple - Lou is 96 and Joan is 93 -
celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in September this year.
"They lived in this area for about 60 years and then moved away but
wanted to come back. So we found them a place in Ruanui and they
love it," Mrs Campbell said. "But this decision has absolutely
gutted us and everyone here," she said. 50 staff are set to lose
their jobs when the health centre closes within three weeks.
Wanganui Chronicle 21/11/10 TVNZ and TV3
December 2010
• Official Information Act requests and district
Annual Plan comparisons between 2009 and 2010 reveal $15 million
cut from Mental Health and Addiction services. Source
documents available 2/12/10
• District's diabetes service slammed Taranaki's
district health board has been slammed for inadequate services for
people with diabetes. Paul Drury, medical director of the New
Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes, was scathing about the
level of service provided. "We are extremely concerned and very
disappointed that Taranaki as a district health board hasn't taken
diabetes seriously over many years," Dr Drury said. "Taranaki has
possibly the most deficient service in the country."Taranaki Daily
News 03/12/10
• Taking $27 Million Out of Health Board Will
Hurt The long awaited Capital & Coast District Health Board
District Annual Plan released today reveals that the DHB will
suffer $27 million in spending reductions. These will hurt
Wellingtonians and need to be reversed," said C&CDHB Board
member David Choat, elected under the banner of Care not
Cuts.Health Minister Tony Ryall has approved the plan submitted by
the previous Board in June.Press Release by Care Not Cuts -
03/1210
• Rest Home Closure Rocks Taihape Taihape
residents are concerned the closure of the rest home will have
further negative effects on health services in the rural town.Lou
and Joan Campbell managed a large station in the district and lived
in Taihape for 60 years. It is their home.Now in their 90s, the
couple wanted to spend the rest of their days in the small rural
town in the central North Island, so five months ago they moved in
to Ruanui House rest home. News the rest home is closing, with
families given two weeks' notice to find alternative care for their
loved ones, has left them devastated.Sixteen elderly residents at
Ruanui will lose their home just before Christmas, after provider
Otaihape Health Limited went into voluntary liquidation. The
Whanganui District Health Board has confirmed the home will be
closed on December 12.New Zealand Farmers' Weekly
06/12/10
• Diabetes patients at risk A claim that poor
care for diabetes patients in the region is putting them at risk of
further serious health problems has been rejected by Bay of Plenty
District Health Board. Three major health groups have slated care
for diabetes patients in eight sample districts including the Bay
of Plenty, where it was claimed one nurse and one part-time doctor
were charged to care for 10,744 patients. But the health board _
which recently also complained about Ministry of Health diabetes
and heart disease figures which it claims are faulty _ says this is
inaccurate. A survey was undertaken by Diabetes New Zealand and the
Society for Study of Diabetes in New Zealand, who issued a joint
statement with the New Zealand Nurses Organisation. Bay of Plenty
Times 6/12/10
• Taranaki DHB District Annual Plan cut $90,000
from Diabetes. Last year the Diabetes Education and Management
funding was $290,452 (page 104)This year's Diabetes Education and
Management funding has dropped to $201,440 (page 82)
• Petition fails to stop rest home closure There
were tears in Taihape as Doug and Vera Wilson's family escorted the
elderly couple out of the town's closing rest home. Eileen
Wilson stroked her mother-in-law's arm and struggled to speak as
the reality of Ruanui rest home's imminent closure took its toll.
"She doesn't really know what's going on," she said. Mr Wilson was
settled into an ambulance by son Rob for his ride to Coombrae rest
home in Feilding, where the couple will be separated by a locked
door. While Mr Wilson needs medical care, his wife will need
dementia care. Man Stnd 09/12/2010
• Threshold raised for eye surgery. Increased
demand for cataract surgery and a lack of capacity to carry out
extra work has resulted in Dunedin Hospital raising the threshold
for such operations. The threshold for the surgery had been
increased by five points on the clinical priority assessment
criteria (CPAC) scoring system. The information used for this is
compiled by the consultant assessing the patient and allocating
scores and also the patient filling out a social score about how
they are affected by their condition. The points now need to add up
to 55 to qualify. Some people visually unfit to drive may have a
long wait before surgery, but Dr Coop said not being fit to drive
was not a sole factor which would qualify a patient for surgery.
ODT 13/12/10
• Patients die waiting for cancer treatment Two
cancer patients have died while waiting for a specialist
appointment at Wellington Hospital as the district health board
struggles to replace a cancer doctor who left nearly two years ago.
Capital & Coast District Health Board's waiting list to see a
medical oncologist - a chemotherapy doctor - has reportedly blown
out to nearly 100 people, though the organisation says the number
is now about half that. Dom Post 16/12/10
Health Cuts since coming to office - by region
Impacts Nationally
• Pies back on the menu in schools Cut anti
obesity, oral health and mental health targets. Ministerial release
8/05/09
• National have taken $2.3 million out of cancer
control. Budget 2009
• Slashed the diabetes 'let's get checked'
budget by $4.8 million each year. Budget 2009
• Cut $3 million from the cardiovascular disease
budget. Budget 2009
• Mental Health services have also had their
funding cut. Budget 2009
• Post budget Treasury documents show that
primary health and health promotion services that target specific
health conditions have had funding cuts of $37 million this
year.
• Tony Ryall this year signed off on a 6.5
percent increase in GP fees the largest increase since fees came
in. NZ Herald 03/06/09
• The Fruit in Schools programme which currently
provides 100,000 children with fresh fruit each day is under
threat. Herald on Sunday 14/06/09
• Senior doctors voted overwhelmingly last
Friday to focus on achieving a pathway to competitive terms and
conditions of employment in our national collective agreement
negotiations with district health boards next year in order to help
overcome the detrimental effects of our medical workforce
crisis ASMS release 06 /12/09
• Release of Cabinet Paper on ACC legislation
confirms no analysis done bon impact of Injury Prevention
Rehabilitation and Compensation Bill changes for the Health system
or the social welfare system - cost shifting surgery onto
health.
• Survey shows spending down on GP visits,
surgery and sports. Research commissioned by Southern Cross
shows Results found the number of people who visited their GP when
they felt unwell fell from 64 per cent in 2008 to 56 per cent this
year. Also, the number of people actively participating in sports,
going to the gym, and dieting for weight loss decreased
significantly. NZ Herald 03/12/09
• Mental health services under the knife in bid
to save millions The sudden closure of a highly regarded recovery
centre for vulnerable teens and young adults in Auckland has been
blamed on funding uncertainty, although critics maintain the
decision to close the Mind Matters Trust house in Titirangi was a
panic response.In Wellington, the Capital and Coast District Health
Board has signalled cuts for mental health services in the new
financial year in a bid to trim $10 million from its community
spending. Agencies are considering severe staffing and service
cuts.In Christchurch, the planned closure of the 198 Youth Centre
on April 30 has sparked protests and marches. The centre provides
general and mental health services. In Gisborne, the Tairawhiti
District Health Board's choice of an Auckland contractor to provide
general mental health services means funding cuts and job losses
for the former contractor, which will now provide Maori services.NZ
Herald 27/03/10
• Sandy Simpson one of NZ's foremost forensic
psychiatrists says cuts to mental health funding will have a
dramatic impact on front-line services.Dr Simpson says the cuts to
the mental health service's administration have meant frontline
staff have had to pick up that work as well as their own. RNZ
30/03/10
• Peter McGeorge Mental Health Commission told
Radio New Zealand he had anecdotal evidence DHBs are breaking into
mental health ring fenced money and that a number of important
community-based mental health providers have had to close due to
lack of funding. RNZ 06/04/10
• Auckland Regional Public Health sheds 12
staff The Auckland Regional Public Health Service is losing 7
per cent of its funding and 12 per cent of its fulltime-equivalent
staffing. The Public Health Association's national executive
officer, Gay Keating, said similar cuts to public health units were
occurring around the country. They would lead to more people having
costly hospital stays for conditions that could have been managed
in the community. The Health Ministry has already cut its public
health budget more than 10 per cent, to around $60 million.
Auckland is likely to lose the family violence reduction scheme and
the oral health promotion scheme. Auckland Public Health will shut
its Henderson and Manukau workplaces, and function exclusively from
its headquarters at the previous National Women's Hospital premises
in Greenlane. RNZ news 12/04/10
• Senior Doctors union Executive Director gives
speech in Canberra listing ways clinicians have not been listening
to under National. He says community and elderly were(so far)
bearing the brunt of health cuts, said the next steps in primary
care had not been thought out ASMS 15/04/10
• Retention of NZ Doctors Under Threat by Higher
Course Fees The New Zealand Medical Association is calling on the
Government to reconsider its stated intention to raise course fees
for medical students saying that such a move will adversely affect
New Zealand's ability to retain doctors in New Zealand NZMA
19/04/10
• Visiting Prof Philip James WHO - obesity
expert - criticises government approach. NZ's obesity controls had
fallen behind the rest of the Western world. He was astonished that
the National Government ditched the rule allowing only healthy
foods to be sold routinely in schools. He said New Zealand
was going against the world trend, even among conservative
governments. Its policy amounted to a subsidy for bad foods and
taught children that eating them was normal. NZ Herald
26/04/10
• The Public Health Association is deeply
disappointed by the announcement that 13 jobs are to go from the
Environmental Health Group at ESR because cuts to essential
services will result. Environmental Health Group staff help control
outbreaks of the flu, meningitis and other illnesses that
communicate from one person to another Media statement
11/05/10
• Health needs extra $555m, CTU says An
additional $555 million is needed in Thursday's Budget to keep the
health system afloat, a new study shows. In the 2009 Budget,
district health board (DHB) funding increased by about $750m. That
was expected to be slashed in half this year, "There is a serious
risk that using such a blunt fiscal instrument will force DHBs to
adopt shock-therapy measures, with the victims being patients," he
said. ChCh Press 17/05/10
• Tony Ryall's statement in Parliament
yesterday, which implied that the Health budget is both keeping up
with inflation and demographic change and will deliver "massively
improved front-line services", does not withstand scrutiny, says
the CTU. A pre-Budget CTU analysis (available at
http://union.org.nz/health-working-papers) showed that a $512
million increase in operational funding for Health was needed
simply to keep up with an estimated 2.4 percent rate of inflation
and an increased and ageing population. However, Treasury and
Reserve Bank forecasts of inflation in 2011 now predict CPI is
likely to rise by between 3.3 percent and 3.9 percent excluding the
increase in GST, adding between $34 million and $58 million to the
"stand still" requirement. Cost shifting as a result of the cuts in
ACC entitlements will also erode the Health budget. The Budget
included new services and restructuring costs of $158 million which
will add a further $118 million, even allowing for productivity
gains, bringing the total shortfall to between $152 million and
$176 million.CTU 16/06/10
• Concerns about collateral damage A survey of
members of Health Care Aotearoa has again raised a concern services
being delivered to vulnerable communities could become collateral
damage in the Government's desire to achieve rapid change in the
sector. The results indicated more than 80 per cent of those
primary health providers surveyed who had funding under review by
district health boards would be subject to cuts, with 80 per cent
of those affected in positions where they considered their overall
viability would be affected, while 33 per cent were still
struggling to assess what specific services would be impacted. NZ
Doctor 16/06/10
• Cuts leave the elderly helpless Grey Power
will complain to the Human Rights Commission that health board cuts
to the elderly's home help is age discrimination. Hundreds of
pensioners who rely on help for home cleaning and groceries have
had their care reduced.The Dominion Post 19/06/10
• Doctor exodus puts pressure on training So
many New Zealand-trained medical registrars are leaving the country
that our top doctors are wondering why we train them at all. Half
of all the medical registrars in their final year of training go
overseas, according to a survey that found the lure of a pay
difference, amounting to $70,000 in Australia, for instance, was
driving the exodus. Powell said the situation was a crisis and
"generally a crisis comes a bit before a collapse". Sunday Star
20/06/10
• "New Budget spending for health is welcomed
but the nursing sector is still bracing itself for service cuts and
restructuring. "NZ Nursing Review June 2010
• Government's Bonding Scheme Won't Solve Senior
Hospital Doctor Shortages Crisis Press Release by Association of
Salaried Medical Specialists 01/07/10
• GP consultations to rise with GST rise Timaru
Herald 6/07/10
• Budget documents reveal $10 million a year
'new' electives money announced in Budget is for rejected ACC
patients flooding the health system Ruth Dyson media release
12/07/10
• Frontline public health programmes slashed
under National: $12 million from tobacco control, $8million of
sexual health promotion and prevention programmes, $1 million from
public health alcohol and drug services, $4 million from mental
health workforce development and $1.2 million from the Like Minds
Like Mine campaign. Ruth Dyson media release 13/07/10
• Ryall:400 Ministry of Health jobs to go The
Ministry of Health is expected to lose nearly 400 staff positions
over 2-1/2 years, Health Minister Tony Ryall says TV3
03/10/10
• NZ doctor numbers in 'parlous state' New
Zealand is facing a doctor shortage crisis as the country continues
to haemorrhage locally trained physicians in large numbers to more
lucrative jobs overseas, the Association of Salaried Medical
Specialists (ASMS) says.ODT 11/10/10
• DHBs: Patients hurt by 'dirty' industrial
tactics DHBs say patients are being harmed by the "dirty"
industrial tactics of unionised radiographers and laboratory
workers and have asked the Government to "review" the right of
health workers to strike. The DHBs have listed potential harms to
patients caused by the current industrial action, including two
patients whose scans were deferred and have now been diagnosed with
inoperable liver cancer. "It is not known if this would have been
treatable if the scan had been done at the time requested two weeks
previously," the DHBs said. At a press conference in Wellington
today, senior DHB bureaucrats and doctors slammed the Medical
Laboratory Workers Union and the Association of Professionals and
Executive Employees, which represents radiographers. NZ
Herald 20/10/10
• Official Information Act requests and district
Annual Plan comparisons between 2009 and 2010 reveal $15 million
cut from Mental Health and Addiction services. Source
documents available 2/12/10
Impacts by Region
Northland
• Northland DHB is warning people of delays in
its emergency department as well as the postponement of some
elective surgery and outpatient appointments following notice of
industrial action by medical radiation technologists
(MRTs).Northland District Health Board Media release 06/04/10
• North health bodies face axe Te Tai Tokerau
chief executive Rose Lightfoot said PHOs were vital in improving
access to health services in Northland, but it may be that there
were too many. Ms Lightfoot said PHOs were already pretty careful
with their money, costs and efficiencies. "But we hear the message
that's coming from the minister. Northland is also different,
because it's very large and spread out and the minister needs to
consider our special needs." Northern Advocate 10/02/10
• Patients at a Whangarei medical centre
battling for entry to a government scheme that keeps GP fees under
$17 have started lobbying the health minister. More than 100
patients from the Bush Road Medical Centre have sent a letter
addressed to Tony Ryall saying the practice's exclusion from
the Very Low Cost Access scheme breaches their human
rights by denying equitable funding for general practice care."My
high need exists whether I stay with my practice or decide to join
a practice with high needs funding," reads the letter, written by a
practice partner.NZ Doctor 16/06/10
• 50 jobs on line at DHB Up to 50 jobs are under
threat at the Northland District Health Board (NDHB). A proposed
restructure of its non-clinical staff has been announced. Northern
Advocate 01/1010
Auckland region
• Counties Manukau has cut funding to external
contractors. The cuts include two Maori health programmes and
Auckland University's $200,000-a-year evaluations of the board's
five-year, $10 million scheme to reduce the incidence of type 2
diabetes.
NZ Herald
• Waitakere Hospital's emergency department is
only open between 8am and 6.30pm and free A& E vouchers to
White Cross are axed Sept 2009
• Auckland DHB Board papers reveal Board may
have to cut as much as 5%-10%. ADHB may have $150m less. Planning
and Funding officer says when adjusted for inflation "the funding
for next year is like to be less than this year" NZ Herald Big
Health Cuts on the way
• Meals on Wheels cut backs for elderly Janferie
Bryce-Chapman says the meals cost $5.13 each and older people
living alone are at risk of malnutrition. North Shore
Times 27/04/10
• Addiction clinic to close after Auckland DHBs
withdraw contracts. The Care NZ clinic in Otahuhu, part of a
national network, has operated for nearly 40 years and serves
several hundred clients. It has been funded under a contract with
the Hutt Valley DHB, and was being "devolved" to the Auckland
boards. But a source said yesterday that the clinic would close in
early August because the Auckland, Waitemata and Counties Manukau
DHBs would not renew its annual grant of around $250,000 NZ
Herald 14/05/10
• Starvation Eminent In Prime Minister's
Electorate. Government plan on withdrawing their subsidy for Meals
on Wheels in the Prime Minister's own electorate The service will
cease in September and Grey Power suspect the same will follow in
other areas shortly thereafter Grey Power 28/06/10 ELDERLY west
Auckland patients are being diverted to Takapuna and waiting up to
six hours for treatment because of bed and staff shortages at
Waitakere and North Shore hospitals. The Western Leader knows of at
least two separate cases involving a 78-year-old Titirangi man and
a 70-year-old Henderson woman this month. Western Leader
20/07/10
• Patients on beds at North Shore ED Radio New
Zealand 21/07/10 Junior doctors facing big pay cut Locum rates for
Auckland-based doctors are about to be halved in a move registrars
say will leave shifts uncovered and place more stress on
hard-working staff. But hospital managers say the slashed payment
is to bring locum rates in Auckland into line with other district
health boards around the country. Sunday Star Times
08/08/10
• How the hospital failed my daughter
Leanna Kairua's daughter Veronica endured two weeks of hell at
North Shore Hospital. Veronica, says her mother, went through
unnecessary suffering for a common, though potentially lethal,
complaint. Leanna Kairua witnessed her daughter in terrible pain
while dealing with Third World conditions at North Shore Hospital.
NZ Herald 11/09/10
• Today I did postnatal visits of 5 women; three
homes were very cold with no heating. I have never experienced this
before. Coming to my clinic are women in very poor health with
diets of rice and cheap food. Email to from midwife Phil Goff
26/10/10
Waikato
• Waikato DHB has frozen clinician jobs as well
as admin.The Board agreed to a $20 million savings drive for the
2009/10 financial year in the hope of achieving at least a $10
million surplus. The exact list of targeted activities had not been
made public because some of them may not be valid savings targets,
Mr Climo said. Big cuts ahead at Waikato District Health Board
Waikato Times 26/08/09
• Record numbers hinder ED target Waikato DHB
faces a near-impossible task of achieving the Government's six-hour
emergency department health target by the June 30 deadline. May
figures for the DHB showed a slide in the ED's ability to treat and
discharge or admit 95 per cent of patients within a six-hour time
frame. 79.8 % - a 5 per cent drop on April results where 84.9 %.
DHB acute services assistant group manager Kevin Harris said record
numbers of patients coming into the emergency departments had taken
a toll on achieving the target. And it wasn't people who should be
going to their GP first who were to blame. Waikato Times
12/06/10
• Patients on beds in corridors at Waikato
hospital also RNZ 22/07/10
Enough is Enough, says Waikato DHB Waikato District Health Board
has had enough of ongoing industrial action by medical radiation
technologists and is letting its staff, patients and the community
know.Chief executive Craig Climo today said DHBs have had hundreds
of strike notices over many months from two unions."We want the
public to know we've had enough. The strikes are having a
significant cumulative effect on patients' access to services and
are putting unfair pressure on other staff.Press Release by Waikato
District Health Board at 04/11/10
Tairawhiti
• Tairawhiti DHB announces it will stop surgery
for an unprecedented 6 week period over Christmas and New Year to
save money
• Funding cuts will hurt Men for Change I would
like to express my distress at the decision by Tairawhiti District
Health (TDH) to cut funding for Men for Change. Men for Change is
an organisation that helps men break the cycle of violence, walk
away, have time out and learn new skills to cope with what is
causing the violence. Gisborne Herald 31/03/10
• TURANGA Health says it will lose 15 staff and
$400,000 in revenue after Tairawhiti District Health Board chose an
Auckland organisation to work with mental health patients in the
community.The move is a "kick in the guts" to Turanga Health, who
had provided mental health services in Gisborne for 13 years, says
chief executive Reweti Ropiha."We eat and breathe local. We are not
going anywhere over the next 10 to 15 years, our loyalties are to
Gisborne . . . we are bitterly disappointed with the board's
decision," he said. Gisborne Herald 24/03/10
• Major reshaping for Wairoa Health body.
District likely to lose its PHO."I'm worried that decisions about
Wairoa health will not be made by Wairoa people as there are no
Wairoa people on the DHB" said Margie Sullivan Gisborne
Herald 25/06/10
• Beds for elderly in short supply ELDERLY
people seeking residential or respite care could be forced to go
out of the district as Gisborne retirement homes approach full
capacity. Hospital-level and dementia care beds are the most
critical, as pressure on residential beds for the aged persists,
says Tairawhiti District Health planning, funding and population
health manager Helene Carbonatto."This is a short issue but it will
be a very painful one for 12 months," Ms Carbonatto told the
community, public health and disability support advisory committee
this week. Gisborne Herald 26 /082010
Bay of Plenty
• Iwi lead charge against hospital mortuary
closure. Health board chief operating officer Phillip Balmer last
month said the mortuary was being closed because it cost too much -
about $2.5 million - to upgrade. Bay of Plenty Times 13/01/10
• Dispute halts kids' B4 school checks Free
before-school health checks for 4-year-olds in the Western Bay will
not be operated by the region's primary health organisation from
next month following a funding dispute. The impact of failing to
continue the checks would mean the health of children starting
school would be compromised, Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health
Organisation has warned.Bay of Plenty Times 30/01/10
• Gemini Nursing Services Ltd is a nurse-led
practice providing nursing services to low income people in
Tauranga and Te Puke. The PHO has recently advised them that
their funding has been cut. The practice has been running for
3.5 years and last year saw over 4,800 patients. The practice
employs 4 nurses (2 FTE and 2 part-time). They have a weekly
clinic with the local Turning Point Trust (health checks for
patients with mental illness, see and a weekly clinic in Te Puke
used by seasonal workers and those who cannot afford to see their
GP. Email to Ruth Dyson 24/05/10
• Bay of Plenty DHB cut Curruth Edlerly
Day Care facility in Tauranga (private correspondence from
constituent)
• Diabetes patients at risk A claim that poor
care for diabetes patients in the region is putting them at risk of
further serious health problems has been rejected by Bay of Plenty
District Health Board. Three major health groups have slated care
for diabetes patients in eight sample districts including the Bay
of Plenty, where it was claimed one nurse and one part-time doctor
were charged to care for 10,744 patients. But the health board _
which recently also complained about Ministry of Health diabetes
and heart disease figures which it claims are faulty _ says this is
inaccurate. A survey was undertaken by Diabetes New Zealand and the
Society for Study of Diabetes in New Zealand, who issued a joint
statement with the New Zealand Nurses Organisation. Bay of
Plenty Times 6/12/10
Hawkes Bay
• Work Disrupted: Two weeks of industrial action
by specialists starts tomorrow. Hawke's Bay Hospital is bracing for
two weeks without radiology services with the union for 40 local
staff members announcing they will strike in protest of a wage
freeze.Hawkes Bay 25/02/10
• Our story sparks 'gagging' letter A stern
letter from Hawke's Bay DHB has left PHO managers in the district
worried about speaking to the media.The confidential letter (21 May
2009), addressed to Wairoa PHO chair Ian Redshaw, demanded an
apology for Wairoa PHO manager Margie Sullivan's comments in New
Zealand Doctor (20 May 2009) concerning the DHB's, to that point,
inflexible response to questions about a $35,000 bill for mistakes
in general practice enrolment forms. Since then, Ms Sullivan says
she and other PHO managers have felt unsure what they can or cannot
talk about and almost like they can't say anything at all. Another
Hawke's Bay PHO manager, Tu Meke's Lynda Creighton, actually drew
New Zealand Doctor's attention to the letter's existence, citing it
as the reason she wouldn't be saying "anything radical". NZ
Doctor 16/06/10
• Hawke's Bay District Health Board has received
five notices of industrial action by Medical Radiation
Technologists (MRT) who are members of APEX (Association of
Professionals and Executive Employees).This includes Medical
Radiation Technologists, Darkroom Technicians, Radiology Clinical
Assistants, Student Medical Radiation Technologists, Sonographers
or Student Trainee Sonographers and PACS administrators. Press
Release by Hawke's Bay District Health Board 23/07/10
Addiction centre fights to stay put Residential addiction centres
are a threatened species, says a grim-faced Dr Tim Bevin. There are
four publicly-funded residential centres for drug and alcohol
addiction in the Bay. But given New Zealand's attitude towards
alcohol alone, few would disagree with Dr Bevin when he says
there's an ever-growing need for these centres. Which is why he and
the other five members of the Springhill Residential Addiction
Centre Trust are determined to hold on to their Napier site. It
won't be an easy task. The Springhill Addiction Centre needs to
find funding to the tune of $2 million to continue to run from its
current site. Hawkes Bay Today 14/08/10
Mid Central
• Dannevirke outpatients clinic cut Manawatu
Standard
• A total of 12.5 nursing positions chopped
across the Palmerston North hospital's main surgical, medical and
child health wards, neonates, coronary care, intensive care and the
high dependency unit. $10millions in 'savings' Manawatu
Standard
• 10 surgical beds closed at MidCentral DHB DHB
March Board Minutes Tangimoana residents fume over nurse cuts
Clinic hours have been cut from 20 to eight hours, while opening
days dropped from six to two a week, following a Primary Health
Organisation (PHO) review. Manawatu Standard 17/03/2010
• Dying patients, people needing intensive
rehabilitation and the elderly will all be hit by proposed health
cuts in the Manawatu. The DHB confirmed it plans to make cuts and
changes to its services that will save $2.7 million a year. Axing
the overnight district nursing service, which provides care to
patients, many of whom are terminally ill, in their homes.
Dominion Post 22/04/10
• Loss of a free and confidential sexual health
service that is available to everyone in the MidCentral Health
district would be disturbing, says Women's Health Collective member
Jean Hera. "I don't understand how primary health is going to pick
up all these clients." Man. Std 28/04/10
• Cuts fears cloud celebration. The Palmerston
North Diabetes Lifestyle Centre marked its 30th anniversary this
week under the threat of service cuts. The Centre has established
itself as a centre of excellence, recognised nationally and
internationally and upon which specialist diabetes services in
other centres have been modelled," Dr Dixon said. Another speaker
sounding a warning not to tamper with diabetes services was Paul
Drury, medical director of the New Zealand Society for the Study of
Diabetes. The incidence of diabetes is growing by about 8 per
cent a year across New Zealand, and resources would have to be put
into dealing with the "tsunami" of diabetes that was affecting
communities and hitting people younger. Man Stnd
1/05/10
• District face health cuts Norma Evans of Grey
Power -"these health cuts are just going to snow ball and I'm
worried more cuts will come. This is just the start" "Some of
our older people can't reach their toes to cut their toenails and
they are charged $60 if they go to a podiatrist" I had a friend who
had skin cancer and had been seen locally by a Dr in Oct but her
appointment on the waiting list had fallen through the cracks - I'm
getting more and more accounts of this sort of thing happening"
Dannevirkes Glennis McDonald recently attended Grey Power
conference in ChCh and says they have 80,000 membership. "Our
membership is on the rise because elder people are concerned about
health issues" Dannevirke News 03/05/10
• Health cuts 'too deep' - community Nurses
carried a coffin down Levin's main street yesterday, in defence of
Star4, the Horowhenua Health Centre's assessment, treatment, and
rehabilitation ward. Despite plans to cut $9 million from patient
services, the MidCentral District Health Board has approved
spending more than $1.4m on new computer software. Manawatu
Standard 20/05/10
• Reprieve won for medical centre Horowhenua has
won a $1.2 million reprieve for its health centre, and 10 medical
and nursing jobs are safe for now following a MidCentral Health
backdown. Man Std 22/05/10
• Stay quiet on health cuts, staff warned
Midcentral Health staff have been told not to bother patients about
proposed health service cuts. said chief executive Murray Georgel
in a staff newsletter about the financial recovery plan and its
goal of finding $10 million in savings. "These are challenging
times for us as an organisation," he said. "Please continue to
provide timely, efficient and safe patient care while any questions
or feedback about our financial recovery programme can be directed
to me, to general managers, or to directors within MidCentral
Health."Man Std 05/06/10
• Pressure builds against cuts About 120 people
braved bitterly cold temperatures in Palmerston North's Square to
protest MidCentral District Health Board cuts. Sixteen speakers
called for the community to put pressure on the board and the
Government to stop planned "changes" to frontline health services.
"They tell us this is not about cuts, but about change. Well, I beg
to differ," said Manawatu Stewart Centre manager Janet Webb.Man Std
10/06/2010
• Scaled-back proposals for cuts at MidCentral
Health's Diabetes Lifestyle Centre still don't wash with Diabetes
Manawatu secretary Kathy Scott. The option of slashing the jobs of
five nurses, a dietitian and an office worker has been put
alongside a less-drastic second option that would see just one
nurse and a part-time administrator out of work. "It would mean
there would be no service when that one nurse was sick or on leave,
and to try to work without a dietitian would be no service at all."
Man Std 6/07/10
• 12 jobs cut after PHO merger Twelve management
and administration jobs have been cut from MidCentral's four
primary health organisations, saving $378,000. Manawatu,
Tararua, Horowhenua and Otaki PHOs, merged into one Central PHO at
the start of July. Man Std 10/07/10 Cuts to nursing services
granted Cuts to rehabilitation and district nursing services have
been approved without a murmur of dissent by the MidCentral
District Health Board. It is estimated the changes will contribute
$478,000 in savings towards the board's attempts to cut $10 million
from its spending. Man Std 22/07/10
• Deaf Mental Health services cut in Mid Central
region by private correspondence 20/09/10
• Hours cuts may kill youth cancer service The
support service for adolescents and young people in cancer
treatment at Palmerston North Hospital is facing a cut so serious
its defenders fear it might not survive. The cut back in hours - to
three-tenths and four-tenths of full-time jobs in a
three-day-a-week service - has been sparked by the Health Ministry
cutting the budget to $61,000 a year. Manawatu Std
02/10/10
• GP wait list nears 2000 The number of people
in Horowhenua wanting to
register with a doctor has stretched to nearly 2000 people and
continues to grow. One Horowhenua practice reported turning away an
estimated 20 patients a day and Foxton Medical Centre said they had
people ringing weekly and sometimes daily to register with them,
including people from Levin. Horowhenua Mail
28/10/10
• Provincial towns hit hard by GP shortage
People in some towns are having to wait several years to get a
doctor in their community due to a gap in the health workforce.
There are not enough General Practitioners (GPs) in New Zealand to
service people's health needs and some people are now choosing
where to live based on the quality of health services. The gap in
the health workforce has become a nationwide problem, but
provincial towns have been hit hardest. Levin resident Maria Whiti
said getting to see a doctor in her community is like a lottery and
she always has her fingers crossed. "You know, you might win [the
lottery] and get a doctor," she said. 08/11/10 ONE News
• GP shortfall drives up fees Masterton
Medical's fees have increased more than other practices to help
cover the cost of bringing three doctors from the United States and
Britain to meet staff shortages.Fees went up across Wairarapa
medical practices on October 1 to cover the GST rise but at
Masterton Medical the fees rose slightly more to cover rising
costs. The practice has increased its standard fees by $4 for 25 to
65-year-olds - meaning a trip to the doctor now costs $35 for that
age group. Wairarapa Times 22/10/10
• Cuts to diabetes centre 'broken promise'
Health watchdogs have slammed cuts to the Diabetes Lifestyle
Centre, confirmed yesterday by the MidCentral District Health
Board, as "reprehensible" and incredibly short-sighted. Diabetes
New Zealand president Chris Baty said the decision to cut a nurse
and a half-time administrator from the specialist service was a
huge disappointment given that demand for diabetes services was
going to grow. "None of it makes any sense at all. Manawatu
Standard 17/11/10
Taranaki
• Taranaki DHB has publicly signalled that its
hospital is preparing for cut backs. "Health Services get the
knife" Taranaki Daily New 10/03/09
• ACC refuses to pay for wheelchair for Taranaki
amputee who is told to go and ask the local DHB for funding
Taranaki Daily News
• Mary Bourke DHB Board Member candid on ACC
squeeze "So effectively, madam chair, what we are talking about
here is that ACC is trying to cut down on its costs by shoving its
responsibilities on to someone else?" Yes, came the answer.
Taranaki Daily News 27/01/10
• Taranaki sources, who did not wish to be
named, yesterday said grave fears existed that this was already
happening. Mr Coleman's spokesman said this was incorrect.
"The Government has not said that DHBs can tap into mental health
budgets. The Government has actually told DHBs that the ring fence
remains in place." The news delighted Mental Health Foundation
chief executive Judi Clements, of Auckland. "There was concern that
it might be happening though it was not official," Dr Clements
said. Taranaki Daily News 16/04/10
• Looming staff cuts cause angst. Looming cuts
to staff and services in Taranaki's public hospitals are cause for
serious concern, a representative for health workers says. Public
Service Association organiser Peter Ireland said yesterday that any
suggestion of cuts to staff was worrying. "There is extreme concern
about what is happening overall in the health sector," he
said. Taranaki Daily News 20/04/10
• Health deficit tops $8 million. DHB Committee
member Nic Boheimer said there were moral and ethical questions
about reducing any services which were by-products of health. "Pain
is a by-product of hospitals. "Having no pain management
service would be like having a toilet with no toilet paper."
Taranaki Daily News 28/04/10
• Inglewood retiree Bob Taylor is challenging
the Government to get its priorities right after he was declined a
second cataract operation. Mr Taylor, 72, was delighted when he had
a successful cataract operation on his left eye about four months
back which returned sight to that eye. "I was in a pretty bad way.
It gave me great sight." But when he tried to get his blurry right
eye fixed, he was sent a letter from the Taranaki District Health
Board telling him he would not get the second operation and to
return to his GP for care.Taranaki Daily News
02/09/10
• TDHB in red at start of year Just one month
into the new financial year, the Taranaki District Health Board's
hospital services are already $460,000 in the red. The July result
was announced at the board's meeting in New Plymouth and comes on
the heels of a $7.88 million loss the previous year. Taranaki Daily
News11/09/10
• District's diabetes service slammed Taranaki's
district health board has been slammed for inadequate services for
people with diabetes. Paul Drury, medical director of the New
Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes, was scathing about the
level of service provided. "We are extremely concerned and very
disappointed that Taranaki as a district health board hasn't taken
diabetes seriously over many years," Dr Drury said. "Taranaki has
possibly the most deficient service in the country."Taranaki
Daily News 03/12/10
• Taranaki DHB District Annual Plan cut $90,000
from Diabetes. Last year the Diabetes Education and Management
funding was $290,452 (page 104)This year's Diabetes Education and
Management funding has dropped to $201,440 (page 82)
Whanganui
• Whanganui DHB has said it will be closing
hospital wards on weekends to save money on nursing overtime. "
Hospital looks to close wards at weekends" Wanganui Chronicle 26
/06/09
• Surgeon slates MP's health claims.
Surgeon Clive Solomon disputes elective surgery figures used by
Simon Power in his newsletter "Almost anything can be
considered an elective operation and by Mr Power's figures we have
no idea whether an elective case represents a hip replacement, a
liver transplant, a hernia repair or removal of a pimple or a
splinter," Wanganui Chronicle 5/5/10
• Hospital may axe staff to cut deficit Staff
cuts are looming at the Whanganui District Health Board as the
health service battles to live within a constricting budget.
Wanganui Chronicle 31/05/10
• Dozens of jobs face axe DHB management is
refusing to confirm how many people will lose their jobs - from
report Safely Reducing our Spending Wanganui Chronicle 14/06/10
Taihape health care on last legs Otaihape Health is facing a budget
deficit of $500,000 for the 2010-11 year and wages are a major
component. Mr Hefford said Otaihape Health had three options -
continue the status quo, agree to a cost and funding restructure
with the WDHB and staff, or quit. Whanganui Chronicle
7/07/10
• Health board budget still under strain despite
cuts In spite of taking the axe to staff numbers, Wanganui's health
board budget remains on a knife edge. That assessment was delivered
by Whanganui District Health Board chief executive Julie Patterson
at the board's latest meeting. Wanganui Chronicle
06/10/10
• Rest home closure plan sparks protest About
100 people were out protesting the pending closure of Taihape's
Ruanui House rest home yesterday morning, upset with the prospect
of having to shift loved ones out of town for care. This follows
the move into voluntary liquidation by Otaihape Health Ltd.Now the
Whanganui District Health Board is saying there was little chance
of Ruanui remaining open to permanent residents. Wendy Campbell was
among those at yesterday's meeting and said it was her "first ever
protest meeting". Mrs Campbell, who manages Kells Wool at Utiku,
said her parents, Lou and Joan Campbell had only shifted into the
home five months ago. The couple - Lou is 96 and Joan is 93 -
celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in September this year.
"They lived in this area for about 60 years and then moved away but
wanted to come back. So we found them a place in Ruanui and they
love it," Mrs Campbell said. "But this decision has absolutely
gutted us and everyone here," she said. 50 staff are set to lose
their jobs when the health centre closes within three
weeks.Wanganui Chronicle 21/11/10
• Rest Home Closure Rocks Taihape Taihape
residents are concerned the closure of the rest home will have
further negative effects on health services in the rural town.Lou
and Joan Campbell managed a large station in the district and lived
in Taihape for 60 years. It is their home.Now in their 90s, the
couple wanted to spend the rest of their days in the small rural
town in the central North Island, so five months ago they moved in
to Ruanui House rest home. News the rest home is closing, with
families given two weeks' notice to find alternative care for their
loved ones, has left them devastated.Sixteen elderly residents at
Ruanui will lose their home just before Christmas, after provider
Otaihape Health Limited went into voluntary liquidation. The
Whanganui District Health Board has confirmed the home will be
closed on December 12.New Zealand Farmers' Weekly
06/12/10
• Petition fails to stop rest home closure There
were tears in Taihape as Doug and Vera Wilson's family escorted the
elderly couple out of the town's closing rest home. Eileen
Wilson stroked her mother-in-law's arm and struggled to speak as
the reality of Ruanui rest home's imminent closure took its toll.
"She doesn't really know what's going on," she said. Mr Wilson was
settled into an ambulance by son Rob for his ride to Coombrae rest
home in Feilding, where the couple will be separated by a locked
door. While Mr Wilson needs medical care, his wife will need
dementia care. Man Stnd 09/12/2010
Wairarapa
• WDHB would like to cut at least $200,000 out
of the WCPHO contract. This equates to 42% of the
discretionary money that the WDHB fund.The board asked why the WDHB
hadn't told the WCPHO during the Clinical Services Action Plan
process. The cuts have come out of the blue. The board were
very unhappy with the process.There has yet to be any discussion
regarding the devolution of services from primary to
secondary.Wairarapa Community PHO Board Meeting Minutes
27/08/09
• Managers' jobs face cut in DHB shake-up
Cash-strapped Wairarapa District Health Board plans to axe the
equivalent of about 10 management jobs in a bid to slash costs
while throwing more money toward frontline clinicians. ''The cost
of service delivery is outstripping the funding we
receive.''Wairarapa Times Age 27/03/10
• Anger over mother left in faeces A Masterton
woman is upset at Wellington Hospital after her mother was
allegedly left lying in her own faeces for three hours.The
65-year-old woman, who has a bowel condition, was not attended to
last Thursday afternoon despite buzzing every half an hour, her
daughter said yesterday. Wairarapa Times Age 24/06/10 ACC
thrift leaves shortfall Belt-tightening within the Accident
Compensation Corporation (ACC) is hurting Wairarapa Hospital's
balance sheets as the national personal accident insurer approves
fewer operations. Wairarapa DHB has lost about $80,000 in payments
since the start of the year after it went ahead with surgery that
ACC later wouldn't cover. ACC is taking longer to rubber-stamp
compensation for surgeries but, for the sake of patient health and
safety, Wairarapa Hospital often has to carry out the operations
regardless. Wairarapa Times-Age 30/09/10
Wellington region
• Cut up to 50 docs - hospital's secret report A
secret razor gang of health board managers, Health Ministry
officials and external consultants advises cutting up to 50 doctors
and outsourcing some specialties to solve Capital and Coast's
financial woes. A draft of a confidential report leaked to The
Dominion Post shows Capital and Coast's deficit is set to balloon
to $48.4 million by 2009-10 unless urgent action is taken to
address the underlying causes. Dominion Post 01/01/09
• Phone assessments result in less aid At least
40 people between 80-90 have hours cut (Kapiti) Dominion Post
30/01/10
• Nephew takes on fight over home help cuts -
The nephew of an 86-year-old stroke victim has battled to regain
her home help after the service was slashed over the phone.
Wainuiomata reports 35 cuts and loss of service viability Dominion
Post 8/02/10
• Wellington Hospital trims 49 management roles.
Doctors and nurses who hold management roles are among nearly 50
staff at Wellington Hospital waiting to hear if they have lost
their jobs. Ian Powell, director of the Association of
Salaried Medical Specialists, the senior doctors' union, said that,
although no clinical staff were being cut, he was worried the
changes could make their jobs harder. "Most of the time those
so-called back-room positions actually help clinicians to do their
work." Dominion Post 8/02/10
• Board looks at further health cuts.The
Wellington district health board has cut contracts to medication
management and cardiovascular risk assessments and has reduced
funding for respiratory education. Kapiti Observer 09/04/10
• Under 6s fee at Kenepuru puts young lives at
risk Paediatrician Nikki Blair asks CCDHB to remove fees.
Board will report back in June. Starship doctors agree
Dominion Post 07/04110
• $20m cuts will hit patients. Patients will
lose frontline services in a plan to slash $10 million from primary
health services in Wellington and Kapiti, primary health groups
say. Capital & Coast District Health Board has provided The
Dominion Post with details of primary health contracts it plans to
cut or review this year and next year in order to save $10m. It is
also planning to cut its hospital budget by $17m. The board, which
has a $857m budget, wants to find savings of $27m as part of a plan
to get rid of its deficit within three years. Moves include
cancelling contracts to teach patients how to self-manage long-term
conditions, cutting a refugee health service and ending some
funding that provided longer doctor appointments for
cardio-vascular patients. The board is also reviewing funding for
court-based alcohol and drug counselling, immunisation and youth
sexual health services. Dominion Post 12/0410
• Regional Public Health will shed 9.3 full-time
equivalent staff most of them working in health promotion roles if
a proposed major re-structure is adopted. RPH is part of the Hutt
Valley District Health Board but has roles in chronic disease, the
medical officer of health role, health promotion, emergency
preparedness and disease control for the Wellington region. It has
144.1 (FTE (full-time equivalent) staff. Hutt News 11/05/10
• Father despairs at delays in 'urgent'
surgery.Twelve-year-old Kirstie Wake has waited more than two years
for surgery to treat her scoliosis during which time her spine has
curved to 100 degrees. The father of a 12-year-old girl - confined
to a wheelchair and unable to attend school because of a series of
cancelled operations - has hit out at the "systematic breakdown" of
the health system. "I've gone past frustration to complete
despair," her father, Gary, said. Auckland District Health Board
insisted yesterday that the delays were necessary, and said Kirstie
would get her operation. The Dominion Post 15/05/10
• Harsh home help cut hurts sick pensioner Vicky
Drew's home help was cut from 90 minutes a week to 60 minutes a
fortnight, several months after a telephone assessment by her local
health board. (Kapiti)The 85-year-old has two artificial knees,
needs a hip replacement and has two vertebrae out of place, one of
which is fractured NZ Herald 17/05/10
• Paraparaumu College - has had a weekly visit
from a nurse, then it was cut back to fortnightly, and now there
will be no visits from 1 July. Previously funded by Hutt
Valley DHB. Email to Ruth Dyson 20/05/10
• Wainuiomata is losing 4 Doctors on 1st July.
There will only be two doctors left and they are not going to be
replaced. Email to Ruth Dyson 24/05/10
• Wellington Hospital staff sent home to save
cash Elective surgery and other services at Wellington Hospital
will be cut for a week while staff are sent on leave to save
money.The Resident Doctors Association fears patient safety will be
compromised but Capital & Coast District Health Board says
there will be little effect on patients Dominion Post
27/05/10
• Plans to close Kenepuru overnight emergency
services between 11pm and 8am to save money RNZ News
27/05/10
• Hutt health group says funding cuts will hit
high needs patients A Hutt primary health organisation (PHO) with
92 per cent of patients classified as "high needs" says it's being
forced to cut frontline staff hours and/or increase fees because of
funding cuts. Piki Te Ora ki Te Awakairangi has 12,600 patients
enrolled with the Hutt Union (HUCHS) practices in Petone and
Pomare, Whai Oranga in Wainuiomata and the Pacific Health Service
in Naenae. HUCHs manager Sally Nicholl says discretionary funding
to the PHO from the Hutt Valley District Health Board is to be
halved (to about $300,000) and it's also expecting lower Govt
fundingHutt News 15/06/10
• Budget cuts raise cost of GP visits for poorer
patients Patients in some of the poorest parts of Lower Hutt will
pay more for doctors' visits, with funding to a local health
organisation set to be cut.The move has sparked fears that
low-income patients may stop going to their GPs, get sicker and end
up in hospital. The Hutt-based Piki te Ora Primary Health
Organisation will have $95,000 cut from its budget from July 1 -
money used to subsidise the cost of healthcare for people unable to
afford doctors' visits.Dom Post 17/06/10
• Reduction in activity for DHB goes ahead A
"planned reduction in activity" has gone ahead this week as the
Capital and Coast District Health Board (CCDHB) tries to save money
Some elective surgeries and non-essential support services would
not be scheduled for this week and some staff had been asked to
take annual leave, starting from today NZPA 21/06/10
• Constant' offending a cry for DHB's help A
judge has sided with a solvents abuser, convicted thief and "old
friend", urging health authorities to cut through the "bureaucratic
logjams" that have seen her wait months for treatment. Upper Hutt
Leader 21/07/10
• Te Whai Oranga O Te Iwi Health Centre a Maori
Health Centre in Wainuiomata losing 4 doctors on 1 July email
• OIA reply from Capital and Coast DHB reveals
almost $5 million cut in mental health provision for 2010/2011
15/07/10 Dementia patient in jail over 'three strikes' case A
69-year-old with Parkinson's disease and mild dementia is in
Rimutaka Prison awaiting a "three strikes" offence hearing, as
neither his home for the disabled nor his family will take him
in.Dom Post 20/07/10 Lack of funds harming kids' health
says report Children are subsidising adults in primary care, says a
report to Capital & Coast DHB's board meeting tomorrow, as
members grapple with how to correct "disadvantage" in investment in
child health. Dom Post 03/08/10
• I can't cut any more, says outgoing DHB
boss.Wellington's district health board chief has quit, saying he
cannot cut costs any further without undermining patient care. In
an email to staff explaining his reasons for leaving his
$430,000-a-year job, he said there was no more room to cut the
district health board's costs, despite Government pressure to do
so. "I cannot see where any more major efficiency can come from
without negatively impacting on services." Dom Post 06/08/10
• Carry on cutting, Ryall tells DHB Health
Minister Tony Ryall has made it clear the Government wants further
savings from Wellington's district health board, despite warnings
that any more efficiencies will hurt health services. Capital &
Coast District Health Board chief executive Ken Whelan announced
his resignation last week after more than two years at the helm.
Dom Post 09/08/10
• Home help for elderly slashed to save money.
Up to 500 elderly or disabled people who receive help around the
house will have their assistance axed as Wellington's district
health board tries to save money. Capital & Coast District
Health Board announced yesterday that people receiving household
management help only and not personal health care would have that
help cut unless they had a community services card. From Monday,
any new patients referred for a home-help assessment will not be
eligible for help with cleaning, heavy lifting, meal preparation or
shopping unless they also need personal health and hygiene care.
Existing household management-only clients who do not have a
community services card will have their help cut at their first
re-assessment after December 1. Dom Post 03/09/10
• Tight finances will dominate Hutt Valley
health board's next triennium Peter Glensor, who has chaired the
board for the last seven years, says the signal from the Government
is that DHBs can expect lower increases in funding for several
years ahead. "Even if the recession were to end tomorrow, the
Government's finances will continue to bottom out for some time to
come," he says. Vote Health is the single biggest beneficiary of
government spending and up until this year, taxpayers have pumped
in an extra $750 million or so per annum. But in the May Budget the
increase was trimmed to $500m. HVDHB, which on a population basis
gets 3.8 per cent of the national funding, was already grappling
with a budget blowout which required it to find $10m in savings
just to finish $4.5m in the red. Hutt News 07/09/10 Health cuts hit
home Home support workers are facing another blow to
already-reduced working hours as changes to household support on
Monday could see their hours cut further. Since last year many home
support workers have lost working hours after district health
boards slashed the number of free cleaning and household support
hours for elderly and disabled people. Workers are facing further
cuts after Capital and Coast District Health Board announced new
referrals for household support would only be eligible for people
with a community services care, and who did not receive personal
care. Kapiti Observer 10/09/10
• Some fee rises for under 17 year olds at
Capital and Coast DHB practices have risen from $35 to
$42.50. Tony Ryall said a $1 rise would be justified after
the 1 Oct GST increase.
• Taking $27 Million Out of Health Board Will
Hurt The long awaited Capital & Coast District Health Board
District Annual Plan released today reveals that the DHB will
suffer $27 million in spending reductions. These will hurt
Wellingtonians and need to be reversed," said C&CDHB Board
member David Choat, elected under the banner of Care not
Cuts.Health Minister Tony Ryall has approved the plan submitted by
the previous Board in June. Press Release by Care Not Cuts -
03/1210
• Patients die waiting for cancer treatment Two
cancer patients have died while waiting for a specialist
appointment at Wellington Hospital as the district health board
struggles to replace a cancer doctor who left nearly two years ago.
Capital & Coast District Health Board's waiting list to see a
medical oncologist - a chemotherapy doctor - has reportedly blown
out to nearly 100 people, though the organisation says the number
is now about half that. Dom Post 16/12/10
Nelson/ Marlborough
• $2million cut in mental health services Nelson
Mental health funding on chopping block Nelson Mail
• Elderly and ailing people in Murchison may be
forced to end their lives away from home after speculation the NM
District Health Board intends to close aged-care beds in Murchison
Hospital. Nelson Mail 23/04/10
• Little hospital help for eye patients. People
needing certain eye operations at Nelson Hospital will have to get
worse or go private, due to Nelson Marlborough District Health
Board limiting eye surgery for all but urgent cases The Nelson
Mail 29/04/2010
• Mental health funding cut The Nelson
Marlborough District Health Board will slash $1.51 million from
mental health services in the district. The cuts are being made
partly as a result of the board's Rutherford Initiative, aimed at
making savings in community and hospital health services. They
would address a forecast $1.8m mental health overspend, the board
said in a statement. Key people in affected organisations said they
were reeling from this body blow to mental health services.
However, they felt unable to speak on the record while contract
negotiations with the board were underway. "It is an indicator of
people's insecurity that they won't be quoted," said one
representative. The cuts were slammed as hitting a vulnerable group
lacking a strong voice. Nelson Mail The Marlborough
Express 25/05/10 News
• Daughter pays nurse to help at hospital.
Golden Bay resident Victoria Davis spent $1000 hiring a nurse to
care for her mother in Nelson Hospital after she says staff told
her to hire outside help because they were too overworked to look
after her. Ms Davis is also angered that a Nelson rest home missed
the severe bladder infection that landed her mother, Josephine
Fargo, 87, in hospital with septicaemia when the infection spread
to her blood. Dominion Post 29/05/10
• Golden Bay's mental health service, Te Whare
Mahana, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), will need money from
charities if it is avoid cutting services. Nelson Marlborough
District Health Board is to slash $1.5 million from mental health
services across the district in the next financial year and NGOs
will be hardest hit - they receive 25 per cent of the total mental
health funding but suffered 40 per cent of the budget cuts. Te
Whare Mahana manager Jo Johnson described the regional cuts as
"shocking and "a big blow". She said mental health was already
underfunded. The Nelson Mail 1/05/10
• Managers face axe in health shakeup The heads
of senior managers are on the chopping block at Nelson Marlborough
District Health Board as rising costs and demands on health
services force a restructure of its strategic leadership team. The
sweeping review will mean that all members of the current team will
have to apply for new positions, with only chief executive John
Peters' job safe.The Nelson Mail 04/06/10
• Another hospital ordeal Nelson Hospital nurses
told her they were too busy to care for her husband is urging
people to speak out about working conditions in the hospital's
medical ward. In September last year Nelson man William Evans, 85,
was in hospital after suffering his seventh stroke. Mr Evans uses
incontinence products, and his wife, Liz Evans, said a nurse told
her she was too busy to shower him. Mrs Evans, who usually cares
fulltime for her husband at home, showered him at the hospital
herself. "I said `Is this legal?' She said `No, but it's on your
head if there's an accident'." The Nelson
Mail 05/06/10
• Board finding 'not surprising' In February, Ms
Davis paid a private nurse $1000 to come into Nelson Hospital to
care for her mother, 87-year-old Josephine Fargo, who was in
hospital with septicaemia. "We're looking at an investigation of a
body by a body," Ms Davis said. "If a nurse had come out and
admitted she did say that, there would be consequences. Whether any
of the staff feel free to speak candidly about what happened will
be dependent on how they think it will affect their working
environment." The Nelson Mail 04/06/10
• Drug, alcohol centre loses funding St Marks
Adult Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre, in Blenheim, had a $70,000
contract with the Health Ministry to treat people with convictions.
Centre manager Lois Miller said the contract funded two beds for 12
months. Marlborough Express 24/06/10
• OIA request to Nelson Marlborough DHB reveals
$600,000 cut to mental health provision for 2010/2011
25/06/10
• Mental health groups respond to cuts Mental
health support providers say Nelson Marlborough District Health
Board's $1.54 million budget cuts are alarming, and that the
long-term effects on the mentally ill are unknown. Representatives
of 18 non-government organisations (NGOs) are writing a report for
the board on how the cuts will affect clients, and plan to deliver
it in the next month. Co-chairman of the top of the south mental
health NGO provider network, Te Ara Mahi manager Peter Rees, said
NGOs and families didn't know what the changes would mean "on the
ground". "The outcomes have alarmed our service users and their
families." Nelson Mail 09/08/10
• Funding cut hurts On July 1, Helping Hands
lost funding for a half-time employment support worker. Before
Helping Hands, Peter Tinirau would just sit at home. He says
working gave him what he calls "my firepower - my life source". But
work can be hard to come by in Golden Bay, particularly if you have
mental health issues. Helping Hands made all the difference to him.
The Takaka centre gave him structure and an extra $60-$80 a week on
top of his "incredibly low" benefit. Without it, he believes the
other option was to be "locked up inside". "It's something to get
out of bed for if you're not too well," he says. The centre's only
funding now is from the Ministry of Social Development, which funds
it for 35 clients. Nelson Mail 10/08/10
• Painful financial times for health services
Nelson and Marlborough health services face a prolonged and painful
bout of restructuring after the district health board signalled it
was doubling the amount it must save to $20 million if it is to
meet the Government's demand that it break even within three
years.Nelson Mail 27/08/2010
• Rest home finally bows to struggle Staff,
trustees and families of residents of the Joan Whiting Rest Home in
Collingwood, Golden Bay's only rest home, are "heartbroken" the
home is to close on November 30 after a long and painful struggle
for financial survival. Nelson Mail 01/09/10
• Acute geriatric hospital to close Nelson's
health bosses are planning to close the hospital that caters for
the region's highest-need elderly people with serious dementia and
mental illnesses. The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board
admits there are financial issues behind its proposal to close
Alexandra Hospital in Richmond but says that the over-riding reason
is changes in the care of "psychogeriatric" patients.Nelson Mail
22/09/10
• Job cuts appal lab workers union Job losses
for Nelson medical laboratory workers show the Government is
reneging on its promise to fund more frontline health workers, says
the workers' union. MedLab South has proposed to cut a third of its
workers in Nelson and Marlborough, including almost six fulltime
equivalent jobs in Nelson, and send community lab tests to
Christchurch for processing. Urgent tests would still be processed
at Nelson Hospital. The Nelson Mail 21/10/10
• Alexandra Hospital staff fear for patients'
welfare Health workers at Richmond's Alexandra Hospital fear for
their patients under a new proposal put forward by the Nelson
Marlborough District Health Board to close the hospital and
contract care out to private providers. Alexandra Hospital provides
care for psychogeriatric patients, including dementia care, acute
care and long-term, or "continuing" care. Nelson Mail
06/11/10
West Coast
• Breast Bus cancelled Westport women would have
to travel for 90 minutes and Karamea women doubke that
distance. U turn because of political pressure The
News-Westport 23/3/09
• Westport will have about half as many GPs as
it needs between now and the end of October, but Buller Health
Medical Centre is confident it will cope. Buller Medical has three
full-time equivalent (FTE) permanent GPs available at present:Fully
staffed, the practice needs six to eight permanent GPs.
Buller Medical is also short of nurses. It has 6.13FTE nurses,
about two fewer than it would like. The News Westport
15/06/10
• Seven-week wait on Coast to see a GP The
retirement of a Greymouth GP has exacerbated the GP shortage on the
West Coast with patients having to wait up to seven weeks to see a
GP for non-urgent appointments. West Coast sickness beneficiary
Tony Whyte, who lives at Blackball, 28km from Greymouth, recently
hit the headlines when he went public about his concerns over the
delay in seeing a GP. New Zealand Doctor 08/09 2010
Canterbury
• Home support cuts for elderly in
Canterbury. 'Old man offers to wash his shower with his foot'
ChCh Press
• Assessment cuts help for elderly. More than
1200 Canterbury elderly have had their home-help hours cut or
reduced since a new assessment service began five months ago.
ChCh Press 27/01/10
• Christchurch's free youth health drop-in
centre will close next month amid fears some of the city's most
vulnerable young people will fall outside the system. The 198
Youth Health Centre provides free doctors, nurses and counsellors
for under-25s. Declining Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB)
funding meant the centre could no longer operate. Centre
director Sue Bagshaw said yesterday that despite the "disgusting"
lack of funding, she would reopen a similar service as soon as
possible. ChCh Press 06/03/10
• Health cuts 'hitting the front line' Some of
Canterbury's front-line health services are being axed, a
Christchurch health manager says. Union and Community Health
Service manager Genelle Gordon said the service was recently forced
to close its central city clinic and make two staff redundant. It
was expecting further cuts to its services.ChCh Press
23/03/10
• Govt funding cuts have forced the axing of an
advertising campaign targeting problem gamblers as the number of
people seeking help soars. the Problem Gambling Foundation halted a
$55,000 radio campaign - urging troubled gamblers to seek help -
after just 6 months when the ministry cut $275,000 from its annual
grant. ChCh Press 30/04/10
• Concern and uncertainty surrounds one of
Christchurch's health services with the respite care home, Newell
House, closing its doors next month is run by the Oxford Terrace
Baptist Church and provides respite care for mentally ill women and
their children. TVNZ 30/04/10
• Plea over medical training Christchurch
Hospital surgeons are refining their skills among buckets of
rainwater while nurses are training in store rooms, says the head
of Canterbury's clinical skills unit. ChCh Press 01/05/10
• A move to make GPs unavailable in Rangiora and
Kaiapoi after hours goes against the Government's health
priorities, a Canterbury DHB member says. Andrew Dickerson became
concerned after hearing news that GPs across Rangiora and Kaiapoi
will not work after 5pm on weekdays anymore and not at all on
weekends. ChCh Press 05/07/10
• Acute 24/7 surgery to go. Canterbury DHB
plans to scrap 24/7 acute surgical services from November are
alarming health professionals. A 3 month trial will start 1
August. Dr Chris Ryan a board member but also an Ashburton GP
says the loss of anaesthetists may mean seriously ill patients may
not be able to be stabilised in the 'golden hour' before being sent
to Christchurch. Ashburton Guardian 13/07/10
• Auckland cancer patients will be flown to
Christchurch for private radiotherapy while Canterbury patients
wait up to six weeks for treatment. St George's Hospital chief
executive Tony Hunter said the Auckland District Health Board
approached the private provider a week ago about radiation
treatment for Auckland public patients. The new contract was
revealed yesterday, four days after Director-General of Health
Stephen McKernan told Canterbury health chiefs that their cancer
treatment waiting times were a concern. He told the Canterbury
District Health Board (CDHB) on Friday that Canterbury's
preparation was "crucially important" to meeting a four-week target
for radiotherapy by December. The target was now six weeks.ChCh
Press 21/07/10 Cost-cutting takes away home help from
elderly.
• Two-thirds of Canterbury elderly have had
their home help axed or reduced in what critics call a
"cost-cutting exercise". Between October and May, a board-funded
agency reassessed 2400 people receiving home help. Of those, 101
lost their help and 1400 had their hours reduced. ChCh Press
05/08/10
• Suicide expert quits country 'in despair'An
international expert on suicide prevention left New Zealand "in
despair" over lack of Government funding, a colleague says.
Professor David Fergusson, of Otago University, said the Canterbury
Suicide Project, established in 1991, ended when Annette Beautrais
returned to work at Yale in the United States 18 months ago "in
despair". "The whole area of suicide research in Canterbury has
ceased largely because her work was not supported or recognised by
the Ministry of Health," he said. "She became extremely
disillusioned." ChCh Press 12/08/10
• Funds cut for suicide bereaved A counselling
service for people who have lost family members to suicide has
suffered a government funding cut, despite relatives being at
greater risk of self-harm. Clinical Advisory Services Aotearoa
(Casa) provided counselling to family after a suicide as part of a
Health Ministry initiative called Postvention. However, chairman
Stephen Lisk said funding for the service was cut in June.ChCh
Press 20/08/10
• Family fed up with waiting A
disappointing run with the Canterbury health system has resulted in
an Amberly family making a life-changing decision to move to
Australia for help. Colin and Patricia Vujcich have decided to
relocate their family to Sydney in a bid to get help for their
six-year-old, Eva, who has symptoms of Marfan syndrome. Eva's
quality of life has been deteriorating over the last five years
while she has been waiting for various appointments necessary to
diagnose her condition. After an appointment made in January
through the Canterbury health system was once again delayed, Mr and
Mrs Vujcich decided to make the more permanent move to Sydney.
Northern Outlook Rangiora 02/09/10
• Child cancer unit called 'atrocious'
Canterbury urgently needs a new child cancer unit as the current
accommodation is "atrocious", a Canterbury District Health Board
(CDHB) member says. Christchurch Hospital has been treating
Wellington child cancer patients since the Capital and Coast
District Health ChCh Press 21/09/10
• Intensive care unit 'in crisis' Christchurch
Hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) is in "crisis", its clinical
director says. Some patients had to be transferred earlier than
planned, heart surgeries had to be cancelled and staff had to work
overtime. Dr Seton Henderson said the unit was resourced for 15
intensive-care beds, but had had to cope with between 16 and 18
patients for the past two weeks. Some days, more than 20 patients
were going through the unit. ChCh Press 14/10/10
• Disabled still living in rest homes A lack of
suitable housing for people with disabilities is still forcing some
to live in rest homes, a support group says. ChCh Press
18/10/10
• Pressure on heart diagnosis Christchurch
Hospital's waiting list for angiograms to diagnose heart disease
has jumped to about 200 people as the hospital struggles to deal
with record numbers since last month's earthquake. The cardiac unit
is also coping with just one working diagnostic laboratory when
patient volumes mean it needs four, its clinical director says.
David Smyth said it was inevitable some patients would die while
waiting up to six months to be seen. The waiting times are much
higher than in Britain and Australia. Smyth said it was a
challenging time for the unit, which was still dealing with the
effects of the Canterbury quake. The September 4 quake triggered
record numbers of heart attacks. ChCh Press 21/10/10
• Waiting lists grow as strikes bite
Christchurch Hospital has spent $243,000 on private MRI scans as it
struggles to control a ballooning waiting list during months of
radiographers' strikes. More than 500 Canterbury patients are on a
waiting list for MRI scans, with a waiting time of up to six
months. ChCh Press 02/11/10
South Canterbury
• South Canterbury DHB has said it will be
reducing the amount of patients seen in its Emergency Department by
up to 5000 people a year. SCDHB has also signalled that it is
looking to reduce the number of patients using radiology
services.
• The DHB also confirmed that it would be axing
up to 200 elective operations per year because of a cut in
Government funding.
• Hospital turning away patients. Central
Medical GP Steve Dawson said 49 of his practice clients received
letters saying specialists at Oamaru Hospital could not see them
last week.The only options we have is to re-refer them, suggest
they use the private health system, or attempt to treat them
ourselves. Oamaru Mail 15/12/09
• Cuts to elderly care in South Canterbury The
Timaru Herald 30/07/09
• Health plan to show details of $1.4m cuts
Cost-cutting of up to $1.4 million will be outlined when the South
Canterbury District Health Board releases its annual plan tomorrow.
The plan was approved by Health Minister Tony Ryall last Tuesday
and formal approval would be sought from board members at their
meeting this Friday. The Timaru Herald 24/08/10
Otago/Southland
• Southland and Otago DHBs have confirmed they
are cutting home support services to reduce costs. The Boards were
looking to make savings of up to $10 million by reducing home
support services for elderly. Southland Times 22/04/09
• Dunstan Hospital reduces community physio and
disability home support Southland Times 17/08/09
• Rural maternity stays for the chop The time
new mums spend at rural maternity homes in Southland could be
slashed as the Southland District Health Board proposes to cut
funding. A document leaked to The Southland Times shows the
Southland District Health Board is proposing to cut funding by 30
per cent to the Winton Maternity Centre, run by the Central
Southland Hospital Trust. Southland 04/11/09
• Hospitals propose preferential treatment for
those who can pay Bridging the Gaps NZ Herald
25/01/10
• By Elspeth McLean and Eileen Goodwin on Tue,
Otago Daily Times 16/03/10 Otago faces a "massive wave" of elderly
needing rest-home space that might not be available, if
cost-cutting forces rest-homes out of business, New Zealand Aged
Care Association board member Malcolm Hendry says.
• South Link Health has shed its general manager
position as it continues to "cut the cloth to fit" its
circumstances. NZ Doctor 02/06/10
• Home help slashed by 1000 hours a week
Southland people have lost more than 1000 hours a week of home help
and will almost certainly lose even more as the Southern District
Health Board seeks to slash millions of dollars from its budget.
The board has cut a total of 1493 hours a week of home help
services across Southland and Otago with the southern region
bearing the brunt of the cuts to date with 1091 hours lost to 682
people Southland Times 04/06/10
• Hospital needs 'business focus' Lakes District
Hospital was "permanently in financial difficulty" and some sort of
public-private partnership would improve its viability, Deputy
Prime Minister, Finance Minister and local MP Bill English said in
Queenstown yesterday. Southland Times 05/06/10
• 682 Southlanders have lost home help
Government is being accused of breaching the United Nations'
charter on human rights and could face legal action over cuts to
home help for the elderly. Meetings have been held throughout the
country as part of a Labour and Green Party "investigation" into
the state of aged care but it was clearly the cuts to home help in
Southland that resulted in 200 people attending the meeting
yesterday. More than 20 people stood up and told of how they or
their relatives or friends had been cut from the system. The
Southland 15/06/10
• Home help cuts biting A massive reduction in
housework allowances for sick Southlanders is starting to hit home,
and senior citizens claim they are bearing the brunt of the
Government's cost cutting. Jenny and Bert Porter are typical of the
687 people who have had their domestic assistance entitlements
reduced or cut by the Southern District Health Board during the
past year. The Southland Times 18/06/10
• Staff cap adds to hospital pressure Lack of
money and the cap on administrative staff is putting staff under
pressure, Dunedin Hospital's chief medical officer, Richard Bunton,
says. ASMS Ian Powell and PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff
both said Mr Bunton's concerns would apply to other areas of the
country. ODT 26/06/10
• SDHB members should speak out over
neurosurgery services and have the courage to back their chief
executive's bid to employ two neurosurgeons immediately, an Otago
woman with recent experience of the service says. She was critical
of the proposal to base all six neurosurgeons in a regional service
in ChCh. She was concerned there had been no public debate
over neurosurgery services around the Southern District Health
Board table and no opportunity for community input. ODT 28/06/10
• $900,000 shortfall; clinic losing 10 staff
Dunedin's Ashburn Clinic is losing nearly 10 full-time equivalent
staff, combining two inpatient wards and mothballing a hostel to
make up a $900,000 funding shortfall. During the past five years,
ACC funding for sexual-abuse inpatients dropped from $2 million to
$900,000 in the 2009-10 financial year.The clinic lost a $500,000
five-bed eating-disorder contract with the Ministry of Health,
effective from the end of this month. ODT 29/06/10
• Risk of hospital unit loss 'reason to worry'
The head of the Southern District Health Board has said people
worried Dunedin Hospital might lose neurosurgical services were
"absolutely" right to be concerned. Southland Times
14/07/10
• Grey Power Southland has lodged its case with
the Human Rights Commissioner about cuts to home help in Southland.
The case was based on reducing home-help services on the basis of
age. That was contrary to the United Nations charter on human
rights to which the Government was a signatory. Mr Piercy said they
had included "quite a large number" of examplesof how the cuts were
impacting. They included "instances where people have been admitted
to hospital because their care has been withdrawn". The
Southland Times 27/07/10
• Ashburn staff laid off Last month, Ashburn,
the country's oldest private psychiatric hospital, announced it had
to drop 9.7 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff to cope with a
$900,000 funding shortfall. Mr Smith's own position reduces from
full-time to 0.5FTE. As well as that, kitchen staff reduce 1FTE,
psychiatric staff 0.7FTE, psychotherapy 1FTE, office staff 1FTE and
nurses 5.5FTE. "It has been distressing for staff to see long-time
work colleagues going, and to see Alexander House shut." Ashburn,
established in 1882, had never had to cut staff before, he said.
ODT 27/07/10
• We speak with one voice. The scene at Dunedin
Town Hall yesterday evening as about 1000 people gathered at short
notice to support the retention of neurosurgery services in
Dunedin. Among the messages read to the meeting was one from all
four southern National MPs saying, in their view, on the
information available, the needs of the people of Otago and
Southland would be best served by the provision of a clinically
robust and sustainable neurosurgery service based in Christchurch
and Dunedin. While MPs Michael Woodhouse, Eric Roy and Jacqui Dean
have given clear support for a Dunedin service, it is the first
time deputy prime minister and Clutha Southland MP Bill English has
done so.ODT 06/08/10
• Youth health centres could be at risk.
Parliament's health select committee today heard submissions on the
country's 11 "youth one-stop shops", which offer a range of
community-based health and social services to people in their teens
and early 20s. A one-stop shop in Christchurch closed its doors
earlier this year after the Canterbury District Health Board (DHB)
pulled its funding amid concerns over its finances. Another centre
in Invercargill is under threat after the Southland DHB axed its
funding. Otago Daily Times 18/08/10
• Sickness result of housework cuts: St Kilda
pensioner John Currie said he was so worried about his housework
help being cut to 30 minutes a week, he ended up in hospital. The
94-year-old, who prides himself on his resilience and independence,
was in Dunedin Hospital for two nights last week with pleurisy. He
had exerted himself more than usual, by doing his vacuuming,
additional to other chores he does, such as making his bed.
However, he believes nervous exhaustion through worry about his
housework - rather than physical exertion - made him ill.
Initially, in March, the Southern District Health Board said Mr
Currie would lose his one and a-half hours' help, but he was given
30 minutes a week on appeal. The former Ohai coalminer and World
War 2 veteran, who served in the Pacific, reckons he deserves a bit
more state help.ODT 24/08/2010
• DHB restructuring terminates six jobs The
Southern District Health Board is shedding six full-time jobs in
its planning and funding, and finance divisions. The board's
finance and funding general manager, Robert Mackway-Jones, was
tight-lipped about the restructuring, refusing to answer most of
the Otago Daily Times' questions. ODT
28/08/2010
• Trust sees threat in maternity review A
Winton-based medical trust has called on support from Venture
Southland to help keep its maternity centre from being shut down.
The Central Southland Hospital Charitable Trust, which runs the
Winton Maternity Centre, has asked Venture to compile a report that
outlines the need for the centre to remain open. The centre's
operating costs, along with all other rural maternity centres in
Southland and Otago, are under review by the Southern District
Health Board as it seeks to address issues raised by rural midwives
about financial concerns. The Southland Times
04/09/10
• Staff cuts as health board rationalises Robert
Mackway-Jones The Southern District Health Board is reducing its
planning and funding department and centralising it in Dunedin. The
planning and funding department, as well as the finance department,
are being pruned, with 6.5 to 6.8 full-time equivalent positions
set to go. ODT 04/09/10
• Concerns over mental health deficit Robert
Mackway-Jones The Southern District Health Board says a looming
mental health care deficit means some services may be reduced as
the board seeks to balance its books. ODT 02/10/10
• Millar warns of service cutbacks Outgoing
Southern District Health Board chairman Errol Millar is warning
that health services will have to be cut to satisfy the
Government's budget targets. Health Minister Tony Ryall has offered
virtually no explanation for his decision not to reappoint Mr
Millar other than he wanted someone more suited to the
"consolidation" phase of the new board. Mr Millar said it probably
related to the ongoing deficit that the Southland and Otago boards
had been running for several years. He warned that the only way to
balance the books was to cut health services. Southland
Times 06/11/10
• Threshold raised for eye surgery Increased
demand for cataract surgery and a lack of capacity to carry out
extra work has resulted in Dunedin Hospital raising the threshold
for such operations. The threshold for the surgery had been
increased by five points on the clinical priority assessment
criteria (CPAC) scoring system. The information used for this is
compiled by the consultant assessing the patient and allocating
scores and also the patient filling out a social score about how
they are affected by their condition. The points now need to add up
to 55 to qualify. Some people visually unfit to drive may have a
long wait before surgery, but Dr Coop said not being fit to drive
was not a sole factor which would qualify a patient for surgery.
ODT 13/12/10