Southern hospitals bear the brunt of Government underfunding

Nurses, families and communities in Oamaru, Ranfurly, Dunstan, Balclutha and Gore may soon be without jobs and quality healthcare services as Southern DHB is forced to cut 5 percent from its budget.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) organiser, Mike Yeats says, “Hospitals in these towns may all be affected in different ways by the cuts, but one thing is for sure – this is an attack on rural and regional health services and the dedicated nurses and health workers who provide them.”

“Although proposals for cuts are not all finalised, it is clear there is the real potential for a significant number of NZNO members across these Southern hospitals to lose their jobs.”

“These cuts are a direct result of Southern DHB’s growing budget blowout; $27 million this year and predicated to grow to $42 million over the next year!”

“Cuts to rural and regional health services will have a significant effect on the health and well-being of these five communities, but sadly we think it might be the tip of the iceberg. Southern DHBs financial position is predicated to get much worse and the Government has shown no interest at all in funding the DHB to fulfil its healthcare obligations to the region.” Yeats says.

NZNO is seeking meetings with chief executives of affected hospitals and will be seeking a co-ordinated strategy to oppose the unfair funding cuts. We encourage our members and communities to attend public meetings and join the campaign to retain quality rural health services. Details of meetings about Dunstan hospital can be found here: http://www.cohsl.co.nz/#!news/c109l

ENDS

© Scoop Media