Skydiving centre rising
MINISTER of Health David Clark has refused to meet officials from the Lumsden Maternity Centre.
The directors of Northern Southland Health, which runs the centre, requested a meeting with the minister to express their concerns over the plan to axe birthing services at the centre.
Northern Southland Health chairwoman Carrie Adams said the minister’s office informed them late last week that Mr Clark would not meet them, leaving the directors ‘‘really disappointed’’.
‘‘It’s our view that, given the really wide interest in this issue and that it’s a microcosm of rural health and maternity healthcare in New Zealand, that it really does fall squarely in his jurisdiction.’’
Officials from the centre continued to fight to have their voices heard and were emailing the Prime Minister daily. The centre was too important to the community to close, she said.
‘‘Interestingly, the facility has been really busy lately. There’s been a constant stream of babies coming through, which is great because it makes everybody know that the reasons we are fighting for this place to stay open are the right reasons and it’s not some sort of service that’s sitting there dormant and not being used.’’
Mr Clark and Southern DHB representatives declined to be interviewed.
Mr Clark said in a statement he was well aware of the community’s concerns and had made clear to the DHB his expectation that mothers and babies in the area should continue to receive quality maternity services.
‘‘How those services are delivered is an operational matter for the DHB,’’ the statement said.
Southern DHB’s executive director of strategy, primary and community Lisa Gestro said 203 submissions were received in response to the system of care proposal, the majority relating to Lumsden Maternity Centre and objecting to any change to its service.
The DHB was awaiting today’s Budget before announcing any configuration of primary maternity services, the statement said.
The board anticipated providing a further update on what would happen next by the end of May, she said.
But Clutha Mayor and Southern Mayoral Forum chairman Bryan Cadogan said the axe hanging over the maternity centre was just the latest in a recent run of blows to rural healthcare in the South. — RNZ