Maria Cole
The paper proposing a possible new model of health care
for the Wakatipu area is listed for discussion in the Southland
District Health Board's closed session at its meeting today.
The report is the first proposal to come from the Otago and
Southland boards' hospital capacity review, which is looking
at existing rural hospitals and considering ways to provide
future care.
A generic model is being prepared which could be refined to
suit individual communities.
The model is likely to involve increasing integration of
hospital and community care.
Southland chairman Paul Menzies said he was hopeful the
report could be made public as soon as possible after the
meeting if board members agreed with its recommendations.
It is understood the document will go out for community
consultation if accepted by the board.
Wakatipu Health Trust spokeswoman Maria Cole said the board
should have discussed the options in public.
"I would have preferred an open discussion but accept the
board's decision," she said.
She had a "pretty strong" idea what the options were and
looked forward to the recommendations being made public.
The trust was pushing for a community-governed hospital for
Queenstown.
"Any changes to Lakes District Hospital should be
community-based solutions developed by the community and
administered by a community-governed hospital board," she
said.
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