Southern District Health Board staff air transport costs have grown more than 51% in the past three years, figures show.
Requested under the Official Information Act, the approximate air travel figure for 2009-10 was $748,378; $824,401 in 2010-2011; and $1,133,402 in 2011-12.
The figures did not include costs of courses or conferences, which were coded differently.
These were too difficult to extract from other data, general manager corporate services Cherie Wells said.
Through her spokesman, chief executive Carole Heatly said the DHB was looking at transport, as part of the wider cost review under way.
The organisation was large and had considerable transport needs, she said.
"This includes air travel to Invercargill for [Dunedin] clinical staff, which allows clinical staff to see a full day of patients.
"We are looking at all areas of expenditure, including transport, to ensure that resources are used as efficiently as possible," she said.
Overall, staff transport rose 14% during the three financial years, including a 69% increase in registration and maintenance.
However, international staff travel dropped 69% from $28,681 in 2010-11, to $8629 last year.
From 2009-10 to 2011-12, taxi use dropped 9%, while vehicle insurance was down 27%.
