Cardiac surgical unit delay

Press, 14 February 1986, Page 16

Cardiac surgical unit delay

Sir, — The Canterbury Hospital Board has consistently stated that a cardiac surgical unit has been regarded as its top priority for the last 11 years. In 1976, a petition was signed by 5500 Christchurch people urgently requesting such a unit and last year a j&nilar petition with

more than 15,000 signatures, organised by the Canterbury Federation of Country Women, was presented to Parliament. We can be justified in wondering why most Canterbury members of Parliament are assuming an air of contrived indifference. I have waited 13 months for open heart by-pass surgery and many others have waited longer. According to a survey on television at least two of the three units are short of theatre nurses. Can any hospital board representative explain why more nurses are not being trained, and why Mr Crigg has allowed this scandalous delay to drag on for so long in Canterbury. — Yours, etc., J. EDER. January 30, 1986. [The chairman of the Canterbury Hospital Board, Mr T. C. Grigg, replies: “A cardiac surgical unit tor Christchurch has been the overriding priority for the Canterbury Hospital Board for a number of years, and it still is. The decision as to whether the unit goes ahead or not is a Government one, and is outside the control of the board. With regard to the question of nurse training, we are as concerned as any one at shortages in particular areas of nursing throughout New Zealand. Your correspondent will, I am sure, be aware that nurse training has progressively been transferred from hospital boards to polytechnics, and comment on the numbers being trained should perhaps be addressed to the Minister of Health who has the ultimate responsibility for this.”]