Health board to review patient’s disappearance

The Southern District Health Board will review the circumstances around a patient’s disappearance from a Dunedin hospital as the search effort grows.

About 60 LandSAR and Red Cross volunteers have been searching for Gordon Mclean, 63.

Marine Search and Rescue joined the search party on Saturday, combing culverts and waterways in Kaikorai Valley.

Mclean – known as Gordy – left Wakari Hospital about 3pm on Thursday, where he was a patient in its non-secure rehabilitation unit. He has not been seen since.

Police had asked Halfway Bush residents to check sheds and outbuildings around their properties, believing Mclean might have slept in one. Mclean is described as frail. Southern District Health Board medical director Dr Brad Strong said the board was ‘‘increasingly concerned’’ about Mclean’s wellbeing and would be reviewing how he came to leave the hospital.

‘‘Our focus at this stage is on working with the police and we thank all those in the community for any assistance they can provide to the search,’’ Strong said.

‘‘[Mclean] was resident in a non-secure facility, however we will be fully reviewing the circumstances around his departure and care in light of these events.’’

Mclean was last seen wearing a dark-coloured polar fleece and trousers, a red polo shirt, brown slippers and a black sleeveless puffer jacket.

He is about 152cm tall, and of very thin build.