Board demands health answers

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 502, 7 September 1993, Page 1

Board demands health answers

WCB concerned health facility decisions without consultation

Plans for future health care in the Waimarino are too much underwraps for the Waimarino Community Board, so they are asking for answers from Good Health Wanganui, the Central Regional Health Authority, the Minister of Health and the local member of parliament, Jim Bolger. The issue of future health services and facilities for the Waimarino was brought up as a special item by the board chairman Colin Webb because of the wide-spread concern of people in the community over the lack of communication on the part of Good Health Wanganui (GHW). The local health committee has expressed concern that GHW chief

executive Ron Janes may be withholding information because he feels health facilities decisions are a purely business decision and the local community should have no say in the matter. "There is real concern in the community about what we are going to get in the form of services," said Mr Webb. " As we are elected representatives of the area, we should ask the questions on behalf of the people, in conjunction with the Waimarino Health Watch Committee." "I'm concerned that if this business of health (Good Health Wanganui) doesn't have adequate facilities, it can'tprovide the services , its the same T urn to Dave two

Board wants health answers

From page 1 with any business." Mr Webb was referring to GHW's plans to close the Waimarino Health Care Centre and build a small health centre, with three beds and no 24-hour staff. "Mr Janes is staying very distant from the community and has not indicated any commitment on the part of GHW. We've had nothing definite." Board member Bob Peck moved that the board write to the Wanganui Crown Health Enterprise (GHW) requesting information on the final plans for health services and facilities in the Waimarino, with reference to the geography, quality and hours of service.

He also suggested a second resolution, advising GHW that the board endorses the submission already prepared by the Waimarino Health Watch Committee. WHWC representative Dorothy Scarrow said her group would go along with the board's actions, but suggested they also target the Central Regional Health Authority (CRHA) "I don't believe the Parapara has changed one iota since our submission was prepared," she said. "We do need a facility open 24 hours and staffed 24 hours a day. Services come first but we still need the facilities." Later in the meeting mayor Garrick Workman

arrived and said that the CRHA board was well aware of the submission, having been presented and explained in person by him. Board member Bob Peck said the system was wrong in that citizens had no input in law with regard to their own health care. He said it had come to being a commercial decision and nothing to do with health care. WHWC member Jenny Decker told the board that she was concerned at rumours that if the Waimarino community made too much noise it could end up with nothing. "How can we get what we need without making our concems known?" she asked. "If we don't say anything we will get as little as they can get away with," said Mr Webb. Mrs Dekker said Ron Janes had attended public meetings, merely to tell the community what it was going to get and not to give an opportunity for input. "His attitude was that our questions were not important because they (GHW) was a business in

its own right. He said any other business could come into the community without having to answer any questions and that it should be the same for a CHE." "He basically said 'we're a business now and we don't have any obligation to tell you anything.'" Mayor Workman said (later in the meeting) that

Mr Janes was only the chief executive of GHW and that he was answerable to their board, who would be making the decisions on future health care in the area. He said it was appropriate for the community to voice its concems to the CRHA, and that GHW was in effect a contractor to them.