Health care

District health boards are ending the year with a flurry of industrial negotiations involving more than 43,000 employees.

Services provided to those with disabilities may be radically changed because of the agreement to pay the minimum wage to night carers, the head of a Dunedin community care provider says.

The National Health Board panel says it will unveil its recommendations on future health care in the Wakatipu in a public meeting on Monday, August 29.

Better education and publicity about New Zealand health care for the Wakatipu's newly arrived or temporary overseas population was called for, during the third and final drop-in session with the National Health Board (NHB), on Friday.

The efficiency of New Zealand's healthcare system was brought home to Dr Penny Andrew when on her recent Harkness Fellowship in the United States it took her nine weeks to see a health practitioner.

Discussions in Queenstown last week on the proposed Lakes District's integrated family healthcare centre were "undoubtedly ... tense at times", but integral in helping the Southern District Health Board (DHB), chief executive Brian Rousseau said yesterday.

Outspoken Dr John Chambers has stood down after 17 years as Dunedin Hospital emergency department clinical leader, but he has not finished yet. He is looking forward to being a full-time specialist without the leadership role. Dr Chambers reflects on his time in charge of emergency medicine with ODT health reporter Elspeth McLean.

A Dunedin woman receiving couple counselling related to the family's two autistic sons has appealed to Presbyterian Support not to reduce the service and has criticised a lack of communication about proposed cuts.

New Zealand's first overall health system scorecard was unveiled in Dunedin yesterday. The system received a respectable 71% - but performed poorly in many areas.