Whanganui DHB under comprehensive review
Significant changes at Whanganui District Health Board are the inevitable outcome of the comprehensive review of the DHB
currently underway, Health Minister Pete Hodgson said today.
Whanganui DHB agreed to a full review of its health services configuration as part of the conditions for a $34 million
government investment to redesign Wanganui hospital.
"The review currently underway at Whanganui is comprehensive," Pete Hodgson said. "Significant improvements in the
configuration of services – including paediatrics – as well as progress on the DHB's deficit will be required before
final approval of the hospital's redesign is granted.
"This review is underway not only because I insisted on it. It's underway because the Board Chairman Patrick O'Connor
and Chief Executive Memo Musa are convinced that significant changes need to be made to ensure the sustainability of
quality health services for local people.
"The serious error in the processing of patient records is absolutely unacceptable. I have been advised that senior
clinicians disagree with the reported comments of one of their outgoing colleagues that the hospital is clinically
unsafe.
"There are a large number of clinicians and managers at the DHB who are absolutely committed to securing real
improvements in services for local people.
"The National Party appears to be unaware of the large amount of work underway at Whanganui and the level of involvement
from the Ministry of Health.
"Their calls for 'urgent ministry intervention' have unfortunately arrived long after that intervention began."
ends