CRHA hints at retaining hospital beds in Waimarino

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 608, 17 October 1995, Page 1

CRHA hints at retaining hospital beds in Waimarino

By

Amiria

Teki

Residents of Waimarino sent a strong, clear message to Central Regional Health Authority that they want to retain the current Waimarino Health Clinic in-patient services in full. Supporting their wish was the announcement by CRHA officers that the CRHA' s study so far pointed to the advisability of keeping two in-patient general beds in Waimarino. The fish-hook is that the CRHA has already said that even if that is the preferred option, if it can't be provided with present funds other options would have to be looked at. Waimarino residents turned out in force to attend a meeting which was called by the RHA last Thursday night in the Raetihi School Hall. The ohstetric (maternity) beds and all the out-patient facilities -eg physiotherapy, X-ray, district nursing and so on, are not in question. It is the two medical/surgical beds and services to that unit where the concern lies. The meeting was chaired by Michael Sewell, director of the board of the RHA and the board's acting chairman. Other members of the board present were: Glenda Letuis, communications; Sue Hine, community co-ordinator, Fran Ashton, projects manager and Dr Rob Griffiths. Options Mr Sewell opened the meeting and called on Ms Ashton to outline the evening' s agenda. The meeting was called to consider the three options for the future health services of the Waimarino that have been previously outlined in a discussion document which was circulated to most residents within the Waimarino. They are in brief: • Transferring of patients to Wanganui, Taihape or Taumarunui - alternatively the services could be split between two of the three locations; • Replacing existing services, with enhanced community support so that more people who would otherwise go to the Waimarino Health Centre, could stay home; • Retain services in Raetihi. This may also mean finding another provider, as Good Health Wanganui (GHW) do not want to continue providing in-patient health services as from December this year. Mr Sewell made it clear that the RHA were keen to have real consultation with the community and that they (the RHA) were looking for input from people by way of both written and verbal submissions. Ms Ashton reminded everyone that the RHA would be available to hear verbal submissions on Wednesday 18 October (tomorrow night). A final decision as to the future health services for Waimarino will be made on 3 1 October 1995. Funding to follow trends Dr Griffiths, whose job it is to look at the health development and growth of a district or region and to evaluate its overall needs, addressed the group outlining the statistics of birth rate, growth and development and showing (by way of a graph) differences between Maori and non-Maori health trends in this district and the effects and needs of the community accordingly. Funding would be considered in-part, according to these fmdings. Following the RHA's presentation, Waimarino Health Taskforce leader Garrick Workman spoke on the roll of the task force committee. The task force was set up three years ago to look at the future health services for the Waimarino. The group had to look at the then current situation both in terms of in-patient turnover - length of stay, the facilities provided and costs. The group were asked to make submissions of realistic, sustainable plans for the future in-patient health care services, for GHW to consider. Mr Workman said the committee were concerned at the level of services that would be provided and the funding.

In other words the services and the level of services would drop considerably due to the lack of funds available to this region. Mr Workman thanked his committee for their input and commitment to the task and Mr Sewell then opened the meeting to the floor gi ving people the chance to have their Turn to Page 2

Clear message from health meeting

FROM PAGE 1 say. Questions Questions were asked in regard to funding allocations. Asked how much has been allocated for this region, the RHA representatives answered that $1.2 million dollars is budgeted for this area. Many were concerned about seasonal workers and whether or not they were considered in terms of their health needs and the funding that is required to cater for their needs. Suggestions came from the floor that the RHA were not accurate when considering population. The RHA based funding on a population base of around 4000 but it was suggested that they had not accounted for National Park, Tangiwai, Karioi, the Parapara to as far as Kakatahi and Fields Track. Other concerns expressed were in regard to families not only having to travel to Wanganui or T aihape to be with their rela-

tives, but the extra cost incurred: travel, accommodation, meals etc and, having to organise other members of the family to be cared for, possibility of loss of wages by the partner if he or she needs to be at home to care for other members of the family. Some isolated families are already an hour's drive from Raetihi, let alone another hour or more to Wanganui or Taihape. Owen Hammond, a pensioner from Raetihi, spoke of his concerns in regard to fellow elderly people being transferred out of their area to an unfamiliar environment with many of their family or friends not being able to afford to travel and visit. He also mentioned the trauma of travelling to W anganui with a severe asthmatic condition in an ambulance — "not a pleasant experience at all", when, "if more beds were available, and it may only require one night' s admission, all this could be avoided". Mr Hammond was also con-

cerned about young mothers and their children' s health care. Mathew Mareikura asked whether the health system and the administration were more concerned with dollars than people. "Maybe, as a community we should be looking at running our own health service," he asked. Many questions from the floor were left unanswered as they were more directed at Good Health Wanganui. Although GHW chief executive Peter Goldup was

present, he was unable to give a clear answer to the question of "where has the funding gone, that had previously been applied to the region?" The time frame for allowing submissions was criticised as being far too short. Bob Peck raised the issue of the rest-home trust, saying that they fell short of funds to start building a rest home. The RHA gave assurances that they would look at funding for this project.

Bottom-line Overall it appeared that people were looking for bot-tom-line answers and wanted assurances that, at least, their current in-patient services would be retained, and there was a question about ownership of the current health facility and payments of future rental of that facility, particularly as funds had been gifted to the community in the past for health services. Once again the RHA had to refer those questions to Mr Goldup who did not comment.