Otago and Southland general practices have a clear majority view on the future set-up of primary health organisations in the regions - a view being conveyed to the two district health boards, South Link Health executive director Prof Murray Tilyard says.
The two boards were to meet in Dunedin next Thursday to discuss the issue again after they failed to make a decision on it last month.
That meeting has been postponed, with no indication of when it will now be held.
South Link Health, which represents general practice, sought the views of the practices after last month's meeting.
Prof Tilyard was not prepared to say late this week what the practices had opted for, but he would be sending the information to the board chairmen.
The letters would include two versions, one with practice names and one without.
The practices were asked about the principles which they considered should underpin any future PHO or PHOs and principles related to the transition to any new arrangement.
They were also asked how many PHOs they wanted.
Prof Tilyard said their views should have significant sway on the issue because they were the people providing the service.
Otago and Southland boards' chief executive Brian Rousseau, whose proposal for one PHO serving both regions was not put to the vote at the last meeting when it became clear there would not be accord between the boards, has not yet released another paper.
Some Southland members indicated they would prefer a two-PHO arrangement, one for each province.
The boards have also yet to vote on a South Link Health proposal which was originally to involve Otago, Southland and South Canterbury.
South Canterbury District Health Board has already voted to establish a new PHO for the region.
• Primary Health Organisations comprise a general practice or a grouping of general practices funded through district health boards to provide community care for their enrolled populations.
They may offer special health care programmes to meet the health needs of their patients.
There are currently nine PHOs in Otago and Southland.
