South Waikato Health Services - The future

Waikato DHB board members say they want management to come back to them with a clinically sustainable plan for delivering health services in South Waikato.

The board recently received a 71-page report commissioned by Waikato DHB, Waikato PHO and Pinnacle.

Chief executive Craig Climo said the PHOcus on Health report raised a number of issues which need investigating.

“We’re keen to get the report out there so everyone can discuss the options.

“We don’t have a project and timeframe yet and I expect it will take some time to work through,” he said.

Mr Climo said it was very heartening to see so much interest about the future of South Waikato health services particularly from South Waikato District Council, Raukawa Trust Board, Pinnacle Group and Waikato PHO.

“The board wants to make an informed decision and has not ruled out the possibility of development at the existing hospital site. It is still a viable option in their eyes. We will work with the community and iwi over the next few months.

“This is not about losing services or jobs. It is about finding a clinically sustainable solution for the future and not built around solving the problems of now.”

A senior Health Waikato manager will work with the major parties and the community and report back to the board. Mr Climo said the work could take several months.

The report’s preferred option is a health village in Tokoroa’s CBD with clusters of health services together. The start up cost would be $15-$20 million.

Pinnacle Group chief executive John Macaskill-Smith said the report came up with some good challenging ideas. Now it was important for the parties to work closely together to come up with a viable option.
 
Pinnacle Group has more than 500 doctors, nurses, and general practice staff in 100 general practices serving 430,000 patients within the five PHOs linked to Pinnacle across the five Midland DHBs, including Waikato.

Health Waikato chief operating officer Jan Adams said there were two major issues facing South Waikato.

The first was an ageing GP workforce and the second was the future of secondary services.

“The final location for health services will depend on a number of factors including sustainable clinical services into the future.

“This means providing clinically safe and appropriate services wherever possible close to the population but accepting that Waikato Hospital in Hamilton will provide high-level specialist services,” she said.

Background paper

Date: 31 August 2009

Contact:

Mary Anne Gill
Director
Media and Communications
Waikato District Health Board
Ph: 07 834 3684
Fax: 07 839 8680
Mobile: 021 705 213