Elspeth McLean

At this time of year, I am reluctant to think too far ahead. Life revolves around sleep, reading and rummaging through the fridge to see which of the Christmas leftovers are not likely to result in food poisoning.

The Southern District Health Board is hoping it will be able to replace its ageing linear accelerator in Dunedin next year.

There is still a spare seat at the Southern District Health Board table, but Health Minister Tony Ryall's office says it is "definitely not" because nobody is willing to do the job.

Funding is available for five extra gastric bypass operations at Dunedin Hospital this financial year, but management is assessing whether it has the capacity for the extra five operations.

Widening the membership of the proposed Southern District Health Board clinical advisory committee to include representation of community health practitioners is to be explored.

It would make sense to have neurosurgeon representatives from both Southern and Canterbury district health boards on the governance board for the new neurosurgery service, Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Ian Powell says.

Canterbury neurosurgeons got their first chance to meet the South Island neurosurgery service's governance board chairman Prof Andrew Kaye yesterday, but details of their discussions have not been revealed.

A proposal seeking $160,000 for the first part of a project to see where care could be improved for Dunedin Hospital orthopaedic patients will be considered at the first meeting of the new Southern District Health Board tomorrow.