Proposals for an integrated family health centre (IFHC) in the Wakatipu are supported by the Southern Primary Health Organisation, but it is not advocating any particular site.
It also supports plans to reduce access to the Lakes District Hospital emergency department from July between 8am and 10pm by referring non-urgent patients to general practitioners, chairman Dr Conway Powell says.
Southern District Health Board management announced last week it wants to see hospital and community health services combined, either through revamping Lakes District Hospital or a public/private partnership with Queenstown Medical Centre's proposed development at Remarkables Park.
Because any redevelopment could still be up to two years away, management says it could save up to $500,000 a year on staffing in the meantime by restricting ED access.
Staff and unions have been asked to raise any serious professional or clinical concerns about the proposals by March 18.
Among the concerns raised from both the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists and the New Zealand Nurses Organisation are the lack of clinical leadership so far and the proposed staffing levels.
ASMS executive director Ian Powell said his members were not happy but the union had yet to have full strategic discussions and would not be held to management's time frame for input.
Board members are yet to have a public discussion on recent developments.
The proposals and the procedure followed appear in the public agenda for noting at the district health board's monthly meeting today, but the subject is also listed for secret discussion.
The board agenda says the reason for today's private discussion is to allow activities to be carried on without prejudice or disadvantage.
Last month, the board publicly tabled the report from the special clinical advisory group on the issue, but discussed it privately.
It said then that the private discussion was because of potential contract and industrial relations issues.
Dr Powell said the PHO, which covers Otago and Southland, supported the general direction of the board proposals.
A new IFHC would provide a comprehensive range of primary health services that were accessible, co-ordinated, safe and convenient for patients in an appropriate community setting, while ensuring that hospital services provided urgent hospital care.
On the question of the restrictions from July, Dr Powell said non-urgent cases were always best treated in the community by a GP rather than "clogging up" an ED.
A patient's GP knew "an awful lot more" about them than anyone in an ED, would which had to be an advantage when it came to treatment of non-urgent conditions.
The PHO supported board management's proposal to provide a subsidy for those attending the emergency department who could not afford a GP visit, although the detail of how this will work is yet to be announced.
Asked whether he had any concerns about the consultation process, Dr Powell said he could not really say as there had not been huge involvement from the PHO in that.
The PHO had received a briefing from board management.
"These things are always going to be controversial because you are looking at making changes. Changes ain't easy."
A report to this week's board hospitals' advisory committee meeting shows ED presentations to Lakes District Hospital in January totalled 655, 13% higher than for January last year and 8% above the December total.
No information was given on how many patients had non-urgent conditions.
