Future of Waimarino Hospital? SILVER FERN SERVICE

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 42, 10 April 1984, Page 5

Future of Waimarino Hospital? SILVER FERN SERVICE

At least one, and probably many other Waimarino residents, are concerned about the future of the Waimarino Hospital. Mrs Jenny Searle of Makakahi Road near Raetihi hasn't heard anything positive as yet about the future of the hospital ... it's what she doesn't know about its future that concerns her. A former teacher, mother of two and with another on the way, Jenny Searle has spoken with members of. a local community committee set up by the Wanganui Hospital Board to investigate the various options facing the Waimarino Hospital. Following those discussions she was concerned enough to travel down to Wanganui to express her concern on a radio talk-back show. Not that the members of the local community were able to confirm or deny the rumours that are rife ... it's |Ak;hat they weren't able to say ^Rat caused her to think that there might be a very real possibility that the Waimarino Hospital — or at least some of its services including the obstetric unit — may be closed. A reporter from the Wanganui Chronicle heard the talk-back show and subsequently interviewed Mrs Searle. The interview was published in that paper on 30 March. She told the Bulletin last week that her main concern was that a decision may be made about the future of the Waimarino Hospital in Raetihi without sufficient public input. "I don't know if I'm ^feiping in at the deep end," said, "but if the public doesn't know what's happening or what plans are being made, how can they participate in a decisionmaking process that vitally concerns them?" Mrs Searle, whose first child Amanda, was born in Wanganui three years ago and whose son Richard was born in Raetihi two years ago cannot speak too highly of the staff of both the Wanganui and Waimarino Hospitals ... "they couldn't have been better so I'm not comparing the quality of treatment and service of the two hospitals." "It's just that we need a hospital in the Waimarino ... not only with its own obstetric unit but to cope with other medical emergencies that arise here. " Many Waimarino residents live in isolated areas on farms or work in the forests or on the mountain — all high-risk occupations as records will show — so

the need for a local hospital is evident. "But after talking to people on these committees — two committee meetings have been held in the last couple of months behind closed doors — it is not beyond reason to deduce that closing jthe Waimarino Hospital is one of the options that is being

considered,"said Mrs,Searle. "But the Wanganui Hospital Board should also know that the Waimarino community is very concerned that these negotiations and options are being considered 'in committee' without a fuller representation from the ordinary people whose lives are going to be affected by any decision."

As from the beginning of June the Saturday Silver Fern railcar service between Auckland-Wellijigton-Auckland will cease so that the Railways Corporation can proceed with the electrification of the Main Trunk Line at weekends without interruption from passing trains. The last Saturday Silver Fern service will be on

Saturday 2 June. This cessation of weekend service will allow for more continuous daylight working hours on the electrification work. The overnight Northerner service will not be affected. The Silver Fern will continue to run daily north and south during the week from Monday to Friday after 2 June.