Cancelled Surgery Due To Inadequate Health Funding

“Surgery Cancellation Highlights Inadequate Health Funding”

“The cancellation of scheduled surgery at Dunedin Hospital highlights the inadequacy of health funding,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.

“This is a situation in which there are patients assessed as needing operations and the hospital has both the staff and facilities to do them.

The Otago District Health Board admits that the cancelled surgery is due to its financial constraints.”

“Unfortunately the unmet patient need means for these patients either denied or delayed care which often leads to more costly care.”

“Inadequate health funding forces district health boards to make short-term decisions that undermine their ability to develop longer-term strategies to provide unmet patient need,” concluded Mr Powell.

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