Tough times for rural hospital
A rural medical practice manager says financial cuts will make it impossible to care for patients.
Dannevirke Community Hospital manager Sharon Wards said they were in one of the toughest periods they had ever experienced.
‘‘We are really struggling to provide the care that this rural community needs.’’
She spoke at a Midcentral District Health Board meeting last week and pleaded with the board not to make further cuts.
She was told money was tight everywhere.
Wards said cuts had been made to community nurse services, but the hospital was still expected to provide the services. ‘‘Cancer has not stopped has it? ‘‘We have been asked to live within our means.
‘‘Look at the means that we have and don’t chip away at those means.’’
But, Midcentral DHB chief executive Kathryn Cook said this was a reality for everyone.
‘‘It is an unfortunate fact that just as we ask you to live within your means, government is asking us to do that.
‘‘It is about getting the most we can from those dollars.
‘‘We all have choices to make and those choices will be about what is most important and what will make the most difference.’’
Cook said the board needed to free up resources to invest in communities.
‘‘It is not an easy thing to do, but we are absolutely focused on that.’’
Wards said youth were struggling, and the district also had drug and alcohol problems.
‘‘This is a community that is
‘‘Don’t push us too far. The cracks are ever-widening.’’ Sharon Wards, Dannevirke Community Hospital manager
extremely passionate, resilient and genuinely wanting the best for their community. ‘‘But don’t ask too much more. ‘‘Don’t push us too far. The cracks are ever-widening.’’ The population was getting older and becoming harder to look after.
‘‘As a community, we are struggling to look after ourselves.’’
All of that made for a ‘‘very challenging environment’’.
‘‘I have been in this sector for 20 years and this is probably one of the toughest times we are about to enter into.’’
Board chairwoman Dot Mckinnon said board members were mindful of what Wards was saying.
‘‘You are not the only community that would say the same thing.’’
Mckinnon said the board would like to put more money into communities, but New Zealand had an expensive hospital system.
‘‘It is costing more and more and more and we only have so much money.’’