Media Release
27 April, 2012
Opinion piece – Future of health services on the West Coast
Over recent weeks there has been a lot of speculation in the media around the future of health services on the West
Coast. Some of the information has come from leaks within the District Health Board, while some has come from past
employees. Irrespective of where the information has come from some of the headlines have been misleading. It is
important that Coasters have accurate facts when judging the validity of what they are reading in the paper and forming
their opinion.
Every health professional working on the West Coast is dedicated to ensuring the services we deliver are viable.
Currently the West Coast receives more health funding per head of population than any other District Health Board. We
need to work with our community to determine what services are required and how we can best deliver those services while
living within our means. Being able to deliver the right services, in a safe, sustainable and cost effective manner is
the most important decision we have ahead of us.
Over the past 12 months Grey Base Hospital had 110 different “locum” senior doctors. This was in addition to a further
36 “locum” GPs. Despite the obvious costs associated with this approach, there is very little consistency and continuity
of care being provided to the people on the West Coast.
We recently held a series of community meetings up and down the Coast, following on from public consultation on the
proposed Buller Integrated Health Centre and the proposed redevelopment of the Grey Hospital. At these meetings Coasters
were asked for input into our plans for the future. The question was posed if you could change one thing about health
services on the Coast, what would it be. These meetings were an important way for the community to feedback on what they
want from their health providers. The input we have received to date has been very valuable.
As a health provider on the Coast we are faced with many challenges – a small and geographically spread out population;
difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff which has led to an over reliance on locums; outdated hospital facilities
and some of our services not proving to be sustainable. None of these challenges are new. As a community we have an
opportunity to work together and to be clever about how we spend our limited resources in the future. An obvious
solution is working more collaboratively with other District Health Boards and particularly the Canterbury District
Health Board.
What this means is that we can ensure essential services remain on the Coast. Hospital services will be provided 24/7
for people on the Coast, with support from Canterbury where clinically appropriate. Some services will need to be
provided differently. For example the virtual Paediatric clinics that have been running for the past 14 months have seen
more services provided to children and fewer children and their families having to travel to Christchurch. Patients on
the Coast will benefit from the expertise of both West Coast and Canterbury clinicians. The proposal to work more
closely with Canterbury is termed ‘the TransAlpine health service’, you will be hearing more about this over the next 12
months.
Over the past year we have come a long way towards providing viable healthcare services that will be around for our
grandchildren. Important steps have already been taken including: Improving clinical information systems; commencing the
development of the Buller Integrated Family Health Centre (which we hope will be operational by late 2014); outlining
plans for a $38 million dollar rebuild of the Grey Base Hospital; launching a world-class TeleHealth service; working
more closely with the Canterbury District Health Board and recruiting much needed full time senior clinicians.
People living on the Coast, or contemplating moving here, must have trust and confidence in the West Coast healthcare
system. We have the opportunity to really make a difference for West Coasters in the future and we need your support
along the way.
ENDS