Joint Media statement from the Wakatipu Health Reference Group and Central Otago Health Service Limited - in response to today's SDHB decision regarding future delivery of CT scanning in the wider region.

The Wakatipu Health Reference Group (WHRG) and Central Otago Health Services Limited (COHSL) support the decision of the Southern District Health Board of a two stage implementation of CT scanning as a pragmatic and positive solution for the future delivery of sustainable services in the wider region.

The decision would see a scanner implemented at Dunstan Hospital as soon as possible and a second scanner implemented at Queenstown in approximately two years’ time through a private/public partnership.

Both health groups were pleased that the DHB had:

• acknowledged the region’s growth and the need for significant investment over the next few years;
• sought to develop both short and medium term solutions, to deliver more accessible services to the region that will lower patient costs;
• acknowledged that the development of these services will provide positive outcomes for the DHB as a whole through an improved ability to meet recently signalled waiting time targets (for CT and MRI) and freeing up capital to be used elsewhere in the DHB.

Introducing a scanner at Dunstan Hospital can be seen as a regional gain that will significantly reduce travel time for all patients requiring a CT scan.

“We accept that introducing a Queenstown scanner needs to be a part of an overall site redevelopment of Lakes District Hospital,” WHRG chair and QLDC Mayor Vanessa van Uden said.

The WHRG would continue to work closely with the DHB to push for the installation of a scanner in the Wakatipu as early as possible, she said.

From COHSL’s perspective, there were still a number of issues to be worked through (e.g. clinical, workforce, operational and funding) before we will see a scanner at Dunstan Hospital available for patient use.

“None of these are insurmountable and we are committed to working to a timeframe of a scanner being available by the end of the year,” COHSL acting chair Brenda Wills said.

The Dunstan project would require further community support with fund raising required to towards the installation cost, with the DHB committing to future operational funding ($200k per annum years 1-5, increasing to $300k years 6-7).