Elspeth McLean

If 13 pharmacies in Otago and Southland do not sign their funding contracts by the end of this month, they will not be paid in April.

The cost of prescriptions issued by general practitioners has been decreasing in Otago, a letter sent by the Otago Southern Region Primary Health Organisation says.

Public meetings will be held across Otago and Southland next month to outline plans for the new Otago-Southland primary health organisation (PHO).

More than half of the more than two tonnes of rubbish collected in the annual Dunedin coastal clean-up held yesterday had to be dumped.

About 50 patients have had Dunedin Hospital radiology or mammography appointments rescheduled as a result of next week's planned industrial action by medical radiation technologists.

Health Minister Tony Ryall's approval will be sought for a year-long pilot scheme which would offer some Otago and Southland public hospital cancer patients the option of paying for unfunded chemotherapy drugs.

The Otago and Southland district health boards spend less for day programme activities for the elderly than is spent in other parts of the country.

Residents of Queenstown were getting only about half the health services of similar sized centres in Otago and Southland, the Southland District Health Board was told yesterday.

Some Southland District Health Board members yesterday criticised board communication over the proposed changes to services for the elderly, saying it had caused unnecessary anxiety.

Health Minister Tony Ryall accepts that delaying cuts to housework help to some elderly people in Otago and Southland will mean the district health boards will take longer to balance their books.