Procrastination responsible for threat to Horowhenua health

MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate use

9 December 2016

Procrastination responsible for threat to Horowhenua health service

“It seems very unfair that the people of Horowhenua may end up missing out on important health services just because of delays due to procrastination at the MidCentral District Health Board,” says Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS).

“It’s not like the retirement of a longstanding senior doctor at the Horowhenua Health Centre has been sprung on the DHB – they’ve known about it since May last year but have been sitting on their hands. They need to get this situation sorted now that it has come to a head.”

Mr Powell was commenting on news that Horowhenua’s elderly health care services based in Levin are under threat as one of three doctors plans to retire (http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/87061433/levins-elderly-health-care-services-under-threat-in-struggle-to-find-staff).

“Unfortunately, this kind of procrastination over replacing people is common throughout public hospitals,” says Mr Powell.

“Our public health system is under severe financial pressure and is really struggling to resource health services properly. ‘Making do’ by leaving recruitment until the last possible moment is one of the ways used to get around this but it just places a lot of additional pressure on our already stretched front line clinical workforce.”

An ASMS survey of clinical leaders at MidCentral DHB earlier this year identified a significant shortage of hospital specialists. A report of the survey results is available at http://www.asms.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Research-Brief-MidCentral-staffing-survey_166818.3.pdf

ENDS

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