Presbyterian Support Otago (PSO) chief executive Jo O’Neill said a rapidly ageing population meant by 2042 more than 38,000 additional aged-care beds would be needed nationally, including those at more intensive levels of care.
"PSO is very disappointed to hear about the reduction of 12 psychogeriatric beds in the new Dunedin hospital plans," she said.
Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand (HNZ) yesterday defended the move, which halves the number of mental health service for older people inpatient beds at the new hospital from 24 to 12 — the same number as the current hospital.
The Government announced the cut in December, part of design changes to save $90 million on the project.
PSO no longer provided psychogeriatric-level care after closing its 24-bed high-level dementia care Lindsay Unit at Ross Home last October.
The unit was likely to reopen in the middle of the year after some minor renovations were carried out, but due to staffing needs, PSO did not know what level of care the unit would be able to provide.
PSO chairman Tim Mepham said New Zealand Aged Care Association statistics showed that as of June 2022 there were 94,100 people in New Zealand aged over 85.
This was set to increase 147% to 233,300 by 2042.
"The proposed loss of 12 psychogeriatric beds in the new Dunedin hospital, to save a hospital-build budget blowout, is incredibly short-sighted in terms of the future demands for aged care."
The future care of the elderly should become an important election issue, he said.
HNZ regional hospital and specialist services director Daniel Pallister-Coward said work to develop a community care model for older people with serious mental health problems would begin later this year.
This aimed to reduce the need for admission and enable people to stay in their own homes for longer.
"It is important that people are able to access intensive support in the community including inpatient alternative such as home-based treatment, community-based respite and peer-led alternatives," he said.
There would also be space for the 12 cut beds to be added.
This follows criticism from psychogeriatrician Prof Yoram Barak, who criticised the cuts as straining a growing and already under-resourced industry.
