Health Minister Jonathan Coleman came under fire when he labelled the urology department toxic while under pressure to explain unacceptably long waiting times.
Latika Samalia, wife of long-serving urologist Kampta Samalia, wrote to Dr Coleman, taking him to task over the comment, and winning huge public support.
Last night, Dr Samalia said she had had no response from Dr Coleman, but had been touched by the public response.
Her house was ''full of flowers'' from members of the public, many of them former University of Otago students taught by her.
Yesterday Mr Fleming sought to clarify the ''toxic'' comment.
''The thing that has been swirling around has been the minister's toxic comment.
''I'll confront that head-on. I told the minister there was a toxic culture within Southern.
''That has been borne out in this review.
''It's not to be confused with toxic individuals.''
Mr Fleming said the review highlighted strained relationships between doctors and senior managers.
''That serious breakdown in relationships created such a rift that we have significantly failed as an organisation.''
Senior doctors' union executive director Ian Powell said the report cleared senior doctors of any suggestion of toxic behaviour.
Mr Powell again called on Dr Coleman to apologise for the comment and said he needed to do so if he was to have any credibility.
Asked to respond to Mr Powell's comment, Dr Coleman released a statement that avoided any mention of the ''toxic'' comment.
''Southern DHB and senior members of the urology department have accepted the report and its findings and have committed to improving services. There is now a clear path ahead to ensure that the urology services are brought up to standard.''
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It has exposed that fact that the National government appointed Board and the National government appointed Commissioners are overpaid administrators who treat professional staff as minions instead of colleagues who are as experienced and dedicated to people as they are to money.
WT? The Minister said ,'toxic', not 'Mr Fleming says toxic'.
Nothing like confronting it head on a fortnight later.
The report says the SMO in Southland runs a more efficient clinic, it says what amounted to a work to rule in Dunedin caused the patients to wait for a care on a confirmed cancer diagnosis and the've been through three sets of managers with the same clinicians so I would say the clinicians need to pull their heads in. Also the SMOs work two weeks on and one week off so I assume if they are not seeing their family private work might be an issue. The Southland SMO seems to currently be on call more than the Dunedin ones. As a cancer patient of some 25 years standing I'm yet to come across a specialist without a sense of entitlement. That Radiology Department in Dunedin also doesn't come out looking good in this report.