The Southern District Health Board spent $107,663 buying equipment to provide retinal surgery after recruiting an eye surgeon who then stayed about 18 months, an Official Information Act request has revealed.
The DHB lost its vitreoretinal service in January when specialist surgeon Dr Andrew Thompson left for the North Island.
The board is at present relying on Canterbury District Health Board for retinal surgery, in a arrangement similar to that before Dr Thompson was hired.
Southern was recruiting a replacement for Dr Thompson, a written response from CEO support manager Cherie Wells said.
In January, the Otago Daily Times reported the DHB had to again rely on Canterbury for the service. At the time, chief operating officer (Otago) Vivian Blake told the newspaper Dr Thompson was the only clinician qualified for the specialised surgery.
