Wakatipu residents are worried about the cost of the
Southland District Health Board's major revamp of Wakatipu
health services.
About 75 people attended two meetings yesterday organised as
part of the board's consultation on the proposed
refurbishment of Lakes District Hospital and the
establishment of an integrated family healthcare centre.
Remarkables Park Ltd director Alastair Porter criticised the
board for not fully costing the proposals.
"What is the point in putting a proposal out for public
consultation when you don't know if its feasible and it
hasn't been fully costed? They [the community] need to know
if they can afford it," he said.
Remarkables Park Ltd has resource consent to build a private
hospital at Frankton.
Mick Burdon, of Arrowtown, asked how much it would cost to
establish the new centre and if Government funding was
available.
"It's not going to be free. Contracted providers will want
return for their money," he said.
Another resident expressed concern it could cost patients
more to be treated.
She said primary health care already cost 33% more in
Queenstown than in Cromwell or Wanaka.
According to the board's consultation document, all patients
will initially be assessed in a general practice.
Patients not needing emergency care will be treated by the GP
and charged a fee.
Queenstown resident Mike Lynch said he was worried about
"self interested" GPs favouring making patients pay over
allowing access to free emergency care.
Otago-Southland regional chief executive Brian Rousseau said
it would cost about $9 million to build the new facility,
which he hoped would be open within two years.
"The fit-out will be the responsibility of the providers.
Providers will be funded by the DHB for services.
"ED [emergency department] is always going to be a free
public service," he said.
He said the Government had indicated the DHB should fund the
new centre through its contracts with providers.
The contracts would include funding for capital costs, he
said.
Mr Rousseau also responded to questions about the provision
of care for the elderly in the proposals and concerns that
too many elderly residents had to move out of the district
for long-term care.
He said there would be no aged-care or dementia beds in the
new facility - they would be contracted to the new owners of
the Lake Wakatipu Rest-home and Hospital.
Timeline
August
2009:Wakatipu Health Trust survey shows community wants
more funding and better range of services at Lakes District
Hospital.
October 2009: Wakatipu Health Trust's Queenstown
Health Needs Assessment, shows shortage of hospital beds
means Queenstown residents not receiving fair access to
healthcare, particularly inpatient and aged residential care.
SDHB's hospital capacity review says bed numbers in
Queenstown are adequate until 2026.
March, 2010: SDHB releases public consultation
document detailing plans for major revamp of health services
in Queenstown.
May, 2010: New merged Southern District Health Board
will consider community feedback and make a decision.
Consultation document available at http://feedback.osdhbs.govt.nz/
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