Orthopaedic surgery need high

The high number of patients waiting for urgent orthopaedic surgery at Dunedin Hospital are being managed by cancelling non-urgent surgery, surgical medical director Murray Fosbender says.

''We have a high number of patients requiring acute orthopaedic surgery at Dunedin Hospital.''

''We have made moves to accommodate two acute lists per day, and at times when the demand is extremely high, three can be used.''

The Otago Daily Times understands there has been concern in the hospital that not enough elective work was being cancelled.

''It is important for the outcomes for many acute patients that they get prompt attention. We have a process to allow the timely cancellation of non-urgent elective work to manage this and to ensure patients get prompt treatment,'' Mr Fosbender said in a statement to the ODT.

At health board meetings this week it was shown that urgent surgical work was 14% over its expected volume, but despite that the board was not falling behind on elective surgery. High acute demand can lead to elective surgery being cancelled, which can trigger financial penalties for the health board if targets are not met.

The board was 3% over its plan for elective surgery this financial year, although it fell behind for the month of January by 10%.

Acute work was 14% over plan this year, and 8% over plan in January.

The acute readmission rate (within 28 days) was 10.8% in January. Chairman Joe Butterfield asked at Thursday's full health board meeting in Invercargill if the board risked financial penalties.

Patient services executive director Lexie O'Shea said while there were areas of concern, the board was confident of meeting its targets. The hospital committee heard on Wednesday that Dunedin's maternity service had a busy January, with 175 deliveries, 16% more than usual.