The New Zealand Nurses' Organisation says it is ''mystified'' by a Southern District Health Board consultation document about a review of rehabilitation and older person's health services.
Dunedin Hospital NZNO organiser Lorraine Lobb said the document came ''out of the blue'', and did not specify a range of options.
''It's not how it usually happens, so we're all a bit mystified by it.''
The review involves wards 6A, 6B, and 6C at Dunedin Hospital and the Isis rehabilitation centre at Wakari Hospital.
The document did not mention the highly-publicised 5% cuts being pushed across all health board services.
''That's why it's a bit wish-washy.''
The document talks about the desirability of community-based rather than hospital-based rehabilitation.
''Clearly they are looking at bed numbers. It's not given us any clear direction about where they're looking, but clearly they're looking.
''But there's no substance to it,'' Ms Lobb said.
Older person's health and community directorate medical director Dr Stephen Chalcroft said the board had ''opened a discussion'' with staff and stakeholders about how inpatient services for older people and people with disabilities could be reorganised.
''The DHB would like to work in partnership with our staff, primary and community health care providers, and our community, to ensure any changes work well for patients and families.''
The document, which the board released to the Otago Daily Times yesterday, says the services under review are ''not sustainable'' in their current form.
''Shaping and designing our health services to meet the needs of our population for the future is a challenging, long-term project, but it is something we need to start today if we want to be confident of success and ensure we are able to meet the health needs of our population in the future,'' the document says.
