The Waitaki District Council-owned company, which provides health services in the Waitaki district under contract to the Southern District Health Board, has released its 2010-11 annual report.
The deficit, compared with a $35,717 deficit in the previous financial year, has to be considered alongside a $500,000 donation the company made to its Waitaki District Health Services Trust, which has lifted trust assets to just over $4 million.
Without that donation, the company would have recorded a surplus.
The trust administers investments and receives donations to the hospital and health services, which are used to supply equipment to the hospital and improve health services in the district. It recorded a surplus of $602,382 in the past financial year.
Company chairman George Berry said the trust was also being built up to cope with an increased need for aged care.
The ageing population would increase the demand for health services, which would need to be planned for, Mr Berry said.
The trust would continue to build its assets towards providing additional health services and projects in the community in the future.
When the trust and company operations were combined, the result was a surplus of $311,442 and a total equity of $15.291 million.
The company income for the 2010-11 financial year totalled $11.323 million, of which $9.148 million came from the contract with the district health board.
Expenditure and the donation to the trust totalled $11.522 million.
The company also revalued its assets during the past financial year, with an increase of just over $1 million.
Mr Berry said the quality of services provided by the company and health professionals was of a very high standard, when compared with services in many other communities.
That was reflected in a patients' satisfaction survey that rated services during the 2010-11 year.
The survey continued to show satisfactory ratings for most departments, with the majority of feedback towards the "excellent" end of the scale.
"However, the directors will take all appropriate opportunities to enhance and extend those services where the opportunity occurs," he said.
Hospital highlights
Renewed 3 year contract for health services with Southern District Health Board
• 8579 occupied bed days at Takaro ward.
• 11,643 attendances at out patients.
• 7004 attendances at emergency department.
• 1594 minor operations performed.
• 8945 meals on wheels;
• 11,348 radiology tests including 843 CT scans.
• 113 births (103 previous year) at maternity care centre.
• 10,708 district nurse home visits.
