Operations manager for Otago and Southland Barb Long said about 70 Otago children might have their 2-year-old checks delayed as the service focused on new babies.
From July to April, the service had seen 83 more babies than for the corresponding time in the previous year, a total of 1631.
The service is contracted by the Ministry of Health to visit 1668 new babies by the end of its financial year in June. (The number of births in Otago in the year to the end of March was up 59 on the previous year, a total of 2313.)
Plunket is funded to deliver services to 88% of new babies, a figure based on a New Zealand-wide estimate of about 54,000 births when actual births for the year to March were about 63,000.
Ms Long said the increase meant the service in many parts of the country was over-enrolled. The outcome of negotiations with the ministry over future targets was likely this week. The service had a good working relationship with the ministry and it appreciated the situation.
Parents of 2-year-olds who were concerned about aspects of their child's behaviour or health could still contact the service and would be referred to relevant services.
Two-year-olds who had already been identified as needing ongoing monitoring at 15-month checks or earlier would continue to be seen by Plunket nurses.
People in Dunedin who needed additional support could visit the volunteer-run family centre in Macandrew Rd. Those in rural areas could find community support in parents' groups.
Ms Long said most parents had been understanding about the difficulties being faced by the service, although a few had expressed dissatisfaction.
The service employed 7.86 equivalent full-time Plunket nurses in Otago and a further 6.46 in Southland.
Many of the nurses worked part-time, as Plunket tried to be as family friendly as possible, Ms Long said.
Staff were getting stretched by the current situation and " a little bit stressed because they are having to say no to people, which is never a nice thing to do".
