Hospital reviews ‘not delivering’

OPERATIONAL reviews carried out by Waitaki District Health Services over the past several years were criticised for not delivering results, at a community meeting on Oamaru Hospital’s proposed layout changes and staffing restructuring this week.

A series of four public meetings, all held at the Oamaru Opera House, were called in response to a public outcry prompted by the proposed restructuring of the hospital. Last month, the Otago Daily

obtained a copy of a confidential ‘‘proposal of change’’ document distributed to staff that included a proposed staffing restructuring and the reconfiguration of the hospital’s layout.

At the first meeting on Tuesday afternoon, attended by about 45 people, Waitaki District Health Services board members, chief executive Ruth Kibble and clinical director Dr Pragati Gautama, a call was made for board chairman Chris Swann to resign.

A woman who called for Mr Swann to stand down claimed the Waitaki District Councilowned company that owned and operated the hospital had spent too much money, time and resources on reviews over the past several years, which had delivered little in the way of results.

In addition to the ‘‘proposal for change’’, the company released its clinically led review, carried out in conjunction with the Southern District Health Board, in 2017.

It has also reviewed its 201830 strategic plan, nursing structure and last last year, reviewed how it could become more financially sustainable and enhance clinical safety.

Mr Swann explained the reasons behind the reviews.

‘‘There has been a number of reviews over the last four or five years and they have been in specific areas of the hospital.

‘‘The last review . . . was the model of care, then the proposal for change and we have reviewed the strategic plan. There have been bits put together, giving a holistic review of the hospital which is happening now.

‘‘They are not pseudoreviews, they are reviews in certain areas. We had to take all of the bits of the other reviews and put them into one, to address all of the areas at once.’’

Board member Helen Algar said the model of care was an ‘‘extremely valuable, insightful review’’ and the reason for the combined review was to ‘‘get something implemented to move us forward’’.

A recent Otago Daily Times tally of sections being prepared for Wanaka produced a figure of more than 3000. These aerial photographs show where these new houses will be built.To the north . . . The biggest development is in the Northlake special zone, where about 1500 houses will ultimately be built, including 211 KiwiBuild houses. Also shown is the adjoining Hikuwai development (left) of 200 sections.

To the south . . . In the foreground is the expanding Meadowstone suburb, with central Wanaka and Mt Iron in the distance.

PHOTOS: STEPHEN JAQUIERY To the west . . . The older Peninsula Bay subdivision with few empty sections remaining. Sticky Forest is on the left.