Queenstown residents will have greater access to services at Dunstan Hospital at Clyde, if the Otago and Southland district health boards merge, according to the boards' chief executive, Brian Rousseau.
He was speaking to 22 people at a public consultation meeting on the merger proposal last night at the Wakatipu St John premises in Frankton.
He said a significant benefit for Queenstown residents was they could access services at Dunstan Hospital, which was considerably closer than Invercargill for care.
The meeting was led by Brian Rousseau; Otago board chairman Errol Millar; Southland board chairman Paul Menzies; and the boards' deputy chairwoman, Susie Johnstone.
After a presentation, the public had the opportunity to ask questions.
Former Queenstown Lakes mayor Warren Cooper said he supported the merger proposal.
"It is important for people to understand that unless we get together opportunities will be diminished quite quickly. We might be taken over by Canterbury," Mr Cooper said.
Queenstown woman Debbie Swain-Rewi said a merged health board should concentrate on creating "centres of excellence" rather than spreading itself too thin.
Wakatipu Health Trust spokeswoman Maria Cole asked if the boards were under ministerial pressure to merge, and questioned how much weight the public had in the decision-making process.
Mr Millar said the Government would neither impose nor oppose a merger.
He believed people would have to go to Canterbury for health care unless Otago and Southland worked together to fight for retention of services.
Mr Rousseau said the boards would save about $1 million a year from overheads and administration costs.
The merger would offer patients better choice as well as help the boards with staff retention and clinical and financial sustainability.
He said the boards did not have a position on the merger, but wanted to hear from the public.
Submissions close on December 11.
