Film of day in life of worker screens
Film of day in life of worker screens
Dunedin supermarket worker Peter Stevens got to see himself starring in a 15-minute documentary this week and declared the result "marvellous".
Elspeth McLean
Rural health appointment
Rural health appointment
Balclutha general practitioner and Otago District Health Board member Dr Branko Sijnja has been appointed director of the University of Otago's Rural Medical Immersion Programme.
Action likely to continue
Action likely to continue
Industrial action by medical radiation technologists across the country looks set to continue and will include Easter in some places, including Southland.
Contract signed 'under duress'
Contract signed 'under duress'
Dunedin pharmacist Don Anderson says he has signed a contract with the Otago District Health Board, but did so under duress.
Board copes with scanning workers' industrial action
Board copes with scanning workers' industrial action
Arrangements to cope with industrial action by medical radiation technologists (MRTs) at Otago District Health Board have gone smoothly so far.
Public Health South pleased with Orientation Week
Public Health South pleased with Orientation Week
Noise appeared to be a bigger issue than intoxication at some recent University of Otago Orientation Week, a report from Public Health South staff suggests.
Prisoners expected to put pressure on services
Prisoners expected to put pressure on services
Huge pressure on health services could result from expected increases in prisoner numbers at the Otago Corrections Facility in Milburn, Dr Branko Sijnja says.
System 'crazy' advisory group told
System 'crazy' advisory group told
District health boards are paying to dispose of wheelbarrow-loads of over-prescribed medicines people do not want, Peter Barron says.
Junk galore in clean-up of coastline
Junk galore in clean-up of coastline
More than half of the more than two tonnes of rubbish collected in the annual Dunedin coastal clean-up held yesterday had to be dumped.
Self-funded dinner to mark end of board
Self-funded dinner to mark end of board
There would be no lavish end-of-an-era function for the cash-strapped Otago District Health Board, chairman Errol Millar said yesterday.
Public meetings on PHO plans
Public meetings on PHO plans
Public meetings will be held across Otago and Southland next month to outline plans for the new Otago-Southland primary health organisation (PHO).
Row means pharmacies might not be funded
Row means pharmacies might not be funded
If 13 pharmacies in Otago and Southland do not sign their funding contracts by the end of this month, they will not be paid in April.
Prescription costs dropping, PHO manager says
Prescription costs dropping, PHO manager says
The cost of prescriptions issued by general practitioners has been decreasing in Otago, a letter sent by the Otago Southern Region Primary Health Organisation says.
Industrial action to affect patients
Industrial action to affect patients
About 50 patients have had Dunedin Hospital radiology or mammography appointments rescheduled as a result of next week's planned industrial action by medical radiation technologists.
Approval sought for cancer pilot
Approval sought for cancer pilot
The Otago and Southland district health boards spend less for day programme activities for the elderly than is spent in other parts of the country.
Approval sought for cancer pilot
Approval sought for cancer pilot
Health Minister Tony Ryall's approval will be sought for a year-long pilot scheme which would offer some Otago and Southland public hospital cancer patients the option of paying for unfunded chemotherapy drugs.
Communication faulted
Communication faulted
Some Southland District Health Board members yesterday criticised board communication over the proposed changes to services for the elderly, saying it had caused unnecessary anxiety.
Concern at level of health services
Concern at level of health services
Residents of Queenstown were getting only about half the health services of similar sized centres in Otago and Southland, the Southland District Health Board was told yesterday.
Ryall accepts DHBs need time to balance books
Ryall accepts DHBs need time to balance books
Health Minister Tony Ryall accepts that delaying cuts to housework help to some elderly people in Otago and Southland will mean the district health boards will take longer to balance their books.
Telephone interviews for some
Telephone interviews for some
Some elderly people will still have telephone interviews under the Otago and Southland District Health Boards' revised plan to introduce cuts to housework assistance.