Terry Taylor, a former president of the New Zealand Institute of Medical Laboratory Science (NZIMLS), has more than 33 years’ experience in Dunedin Hospital as a blood cancer diagnostic specialist.
Mr Taylor, who is leaving for a job in Queensland, said he was deeply concerned about the situation in Dunedin.
The strained and chaotic situation was demonstrated in Invercargill at Southland Hospital where the laboratory team missed a potential cancer diagnosis for a retired nurse until it was too late.
Mr Taylor said there was ‘‘nothing’’ to stop something similar happening in Dunedin.
He said he was leaving with a ‘‘heavy heart’’, but felt it was necessary for his own personal health, after spending several years battling with lab owners Awanui for resources.
‘‘The decision to leave my current specialist cancer diagnostic role at Dunedin Hospital has not been an easy one but is a direct reflection of the worsening working environment within our diagnostic laboratories,’’ Mr Taylor said.
‘‘I simply see no end to the current constrained predicament, and I just want a working environment that I am not constantly fighting for staffing and training resource to provide our specialist diagnostic services.’’
Mr Taylor will take up a specialist blood cancer role with Pathology Queensland based at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane.
He said one of the great ironies of his decision to leave was that, initially, he did not want to.
Instead, he feels he has been worn down by false promises.
‘‘The issues regards safe and functional staffing levels, lack of recognition and progression of specialists and the year on year absence of true national governance and direction ... [and these have] effectively forced me, and many of my colleagues, to look elsewhere where our skill sets and experience is appreciated and valued.’’
In May, the Health and Disability Commissioner issued a stinging criticism of Awanui labs at Southland Hospital after its pathologists in Invercargill failed to detect cancer in two different biopsies for a retired nurse, shortly before her death in early 2022.
Shortly after the HDC decision became public, a former staff member told the Otago Daily Times the working conditions were ‘‘insane’’, with constant staff burnout and limited resources.
Mr Taylor said he had sympathy for the workers, not least because he feared there were ‘‘no measures’’ in place in Dunedin Hospital to prevent a similar catastrophe.
‘‘None of this is new. We have warned and warned at a national and regional level to tone-deaf ears, but still no significant intervention, workforce future-proofing or most importantly no long-term hope for a rapidly declining fit-for-purpose workforce.’’
Awanui Labs recorded a loss for the 2025 financial year of $2.16 million, compared with 2024’s bombshell loss of $15.8m.
Mr Taylor said the company’s financial position made it close to untenable for Awanui to continue as the lead lab contractor for the country.
He suggested Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora could slowly take over the struggling labs, but only after a ‘‘comprehensive review’’ of the pathology system in the country.
‘‘It is time control of the direction of our diagnostic services is given back to those scientific and strategy experts who are currently constrained by the current ideology based on outdated historical models of service delivery.’’
Mr Taylor leaves for Queensland next week.
‘‘I am looking forward to working within the integrated network that their public hospital laboratories operate within, providing expert training, and advancing technological capability and capacity for the people of Queensland,’’ Mr Taylor said.
‘‘Unfortunately, our current New Zealand environment is in a totally predicated race to the bottom and I simply cannot continue to stand by and watch the inevitable happening in front of me.’’
Asked about Mr Taylor’s concern that Dunedin did not have the resources to prevent an Invercargill-like situation, an Awanui Labs representative said it was ‘‘confident in the quality, safety and resilience of the pathology services it provides across the lower South Island, including through its Dunedin laboratory and wider national network’’.
‘‘Unfortunately, mistakes do occur in healthcare settings. What is important is learning from them to ensure the system continues to improve.
‘‘Awanui accepted all findings and implemented all recommendations of the review the Health and Disability Commissioner made into this case, and we have sincerely apologised to the family involved.’’
Asked about its financials, Awanui said ‘‘like many healthcare providers across New Zealand, Awanui is operating in a challenging environment shaped by increasing demand, workforce shortages, rising costs and constrained funding’’.
‘‘Despite these pressures, Awanui continues to focus on building the workforce capability, services, technology and infrastructure needed to underpin a modern and efficient pathology system for New Zealanders.’’
HNZ acting director for funding Martin Hefford responded.
‘‘Health New Zealand engages regularly with Awanui Labs regarding their laboratory services. If a service issue arises, Awanui engages constructively with us on their plans for resolution.
‘‘Consequently, Health New Zealand does not intend to undertake a review at this time.
‘‘Health New Zealand acknowledges the advocacy of Terry Taylor for pathology services and the workforce.
‘‘We wish him well in his new role.’’
