New head appointed to Whangaroa trust

The Whangaroa Health Services Trust is understood to have appointed a new chair as it grapples with the exodus of most of its clinical staff.

Three doctors and a number of nurses have resigned in recent months, including Alison McAlwee, who finished last week after 35 years as a GP in Kaeo. Her decision was followed by the sudden resignation of trust chief executive Mana Hape and chairwoman Violet Walker.

The trust is understood to have voted Mary Vermy, a trustee since 2013, its new chairwoman at an emergency meeting last week, while a roster of locum GPs will keep health services ticking over for the next six months.

Dr McAlwee, who has been instructed not to speak to media, has taken up a short-term contract with Broadway Health in Kaitaia.

Kaeo pharmacist Viv Bath said the departure of three GPs from the highhealth-needs community in a few months had left locals “extremely concerned”.

She believed Whangaroa residents were feeling a little happier now there was some hope that Dr McAlwee might return after her contract in Kaitaia.

The Northland District Health Board should do everything it could to get her back, because after 35 years she had a

"We’re all 100 per cent behind the health trust, it’s just so important to the community."

Bruce Mills

huge amount of knowledge about the area, she said.

“The fact she resigned speaks volumes about what was going on,” Ms Bath added, while filling the gap with locums was not the same as having GPs who worked and lived locally.

Whatever happened next, the trust had to come up with a structure that supported its clinicians.

Bruce Mills, Whangaroa representative on the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board, said recent events had been “absolutely tragic”, and “very, very upsetting” for the community.

“We’re all 100 per cent behind the health trust, it’s just so important to the community. I only hope that someone will see reason and get this back on track,” he said.

Mr Mills also praised Dr McAlwee for her long service, and hoped she would be back at some stage.

The trust has not responded to inquiries.