The Wakatipu Health Reference Panel was pleased with progress towards the delivery of improved health services for the area chairperson and Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Vanessa van Uden said. 

The panel, which met this morning together with Southland District Health Board finance and funding general manager Robert Mackway-Jones, discussed a number of services either proposed or pending by the DHB. 

“The CT scanner has been an important issue that is ongoing but there are a large number of other areas where the panel is pleased to see genuine progress,” Mayor van Uden said. 

Cases have been made to locate the scanner at the Lakes District Hospital at Frankton and Clyde-based Dunstan Hospital. 

The DHB will consider a recommendation on location of a CT scanner in June after input from the Wakatipu panel and Central Otago Health Services Ltd, as well as wider consultation with the regions’ clinicians. 

Members of the Wakatipu panel accepted an offer to visit Dunstan Hospital last week. 

“I think there is a sense from all parties that the process is appropriate and we look forward to receiving the outcomes from the Clinician Forum scheduled to take place at Queenstown on 24 February,” Mayor van Uden said. 

Meanwhile the DHB acknowledged the opportunity to participate in the Wakatipu panel meetings. 

“We have a forum that allows for two-way communications between the local community and the board,’ Mr Mackway-Jones said. 

The board hoped to be in a position to announce further details around enhanced health services, including new clinics in gastroenterology, orthopaedics, respiratory and diabetes in the next few weeks, he said. 

“The SDHB has told us it remains committed to implementing the National Health Panel recommendations about health service provision in the Wakatipu. We look forward to continuing to work with the board to that end,” Mayor van Uden said. 

ENDS

For further information, please contact Mayor Vanessa van Uden ph 03 441 0499

 The Wakatipu Health Reference Group consists of: 

Chairperson Vanessa van Uden

Martin Hawes

Tony Hill

Dr James Reid

Dr Elinor Slater

 

 

 

 

By: Jo Blick