Health

Southland Hospital is one of seven sites selected to participate in a new programme to improve the productivity of operating theatres.

Concerns raised by the Otago Daily Times about the the Ministry of Health's refusal to provide a privacy impact assessment on the B4 School programme have shown up anomalies which the Office of the Ombudsmen is to raise with the Privacy Commissioner.

Dunedin's Moana House will open six new residential beds next week for methamphetamine users.

Dunedin Hospital's emergency department specialists are "probably consuming a lot of paracetamol" because they have been "banging their heads against a brick wall for so long", Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Ian Powell says.

Nearly 1000 women have had routine breast screening postponed because of industrial action by mammographers at Dunedin and Southland Hospitals.

Otago GPs have been asked to stop referring patients for both public and private appointments, as it is clogging the system.

The Southern District Health Board approved a new memorandum of understanding with the University of Otago on Thursday.

The Southern District Health Board is trying to claim almost $200,000 from the Southern Primary Health Organisation as promised savings did not materialise because of a delay forming the new super PHO.

The Southern District Health Board has been commended for an increase in the number of patients being assessed by surgical specialists.

A media statement from the Health Minister Tony Ryall which implied there had been a low number of candidates in the Southern District Health Board elections was "unfortunate", board chairman Errol Millar says.

Tai Chi classes could be out, and improving links between general practice and specialty services in, under the new Southern Primary Health Organisation, says chairman Dr Conway Powell.

Former Southern Region medical officer of health Peter Hinds shares thoughts on issues facing the public health service.