Concern that people on the clinical review team looking at the future of Lakes District Hospital services may not move towards a resolution has been raised by Southern District Health Board member Fiona McArthur.
Ms McArthur, of Queenstown, told the board in Dunedin last week that getting the key people around the table was "fantastic", but she worried the "vested interests" could get "locked firmly into the corners from whence they came".
Chief executive Brian Rousseau said his hope was that all would be able to agree "on the big picture view" for the hospital at Frankton.
That would be "first prize", but he accepted some people might not agree and that had been allowed for in the terms of reference for the group.
Any differing views would be stated in the final report and the board would have to make a decision.
The review team, chaired by Prof John Campbell, has met twice and was expected to have two or three more meetings before its report is due next month.
The group was set up following clinicians' opposition to the proposal to refurbish the hospital and turn it into an integrated family healthcare centre and concern at their lack of input.
Whatever the group proposes must be clinically and financially sustainable. The status quo is not an option.
Ms McArthur also worried the board had lost traction over proposals for change in other rural hospitals after the review by consultants.
Mr Rousseau said the position was " exactly the opposite".
Each of the five other hospitals funded by the board was looking at how it could provide the best possible model of care.
Chairman Errol Millar said each of the hospitals was at a different stage of the process which was designed to provide much more equity of access across the region, but all were making progress.
Oamaru Hospital still had nine months on its contract with the board.
On the other hand, the hospital in Gore, because of earlier " brave decisions" in Southland, was further advanced.
