The Government has given its first indication neurosurgery services may be kept in Dunedin.
Asked by Dunedin North MP Pete Hodgson during question time in Parliament yesterday if he thought neurosurgery services should be retained in Dunedin, Associate Health Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman, on behalf of Health Minister Tony Ryall, said: "I would take a lot of convincing that there shouldn't be neurosurgery services in Dunedin."
When asked if he would turn that feeling into a guarantee services would be retained, Mr Ryall, via Dr Coleman, said an expert panel had been convened to advise on the configuration of South Island neurosurgery services and he was not going to pre-empt the outcome.
Mr Hodgson said later he was unimpressed with Mr Ryall's response.
"All Mr Ryall has to do is tell his expert panel neurosurgery will continue to be delivered at both Christchurch and Dunedin.
"At that point, the issue would be laid to rest, and the clinicians can go about working how best to co-operate in an atmosphere of calm."
Dr Coleman responded to a similar suggestion from Mr Hodgson at question time by saying Mr Hodgson would be the first to criticise if a minister overrode an official.
Mr Hodgson was denied leave to table copies of an Otago Daily Times online poll, which show 97% of respondents in favour of retaining neurosurgery services and a printout from the Facebook group Keep Neurosurgery in Dunedin, which had gathered nearly 10,000 members in a few days.
Mr Ryall also responded to a written parliamentary question from Labour MP Ruth Dyson.
Ms Dyson asked for his response to the publicly expressed concerns of Dunedin Hospital intensive care nurse Pam Adams that removing neurosurgery services from Dunedin would mean essential time would be lost in transporting acute head injury patients to Christchurch; bad weather often precluded flying and long ambulance journeys increased the risk of death or disability; extra movement required to move patients to Christchurch could worsen injuries; it was common for Christchurch Hospital's ICU to be full and decline or delay transfer; and that it was not only accidents that caused acute brain injury and a significant number of "youngish" patients had sudden brain haemorrhages.
Mr Ryall said he would expect the panel members to take those concerns into account.
In April, Mr Ryall also said, in response to a written question from Mr Hodgson, he would expect any final report on the future configuration of South Island neurosurgery services to include robust financial analysis.
"However, the principle of clinical sustainability is of paramount importance and I would expect any completed draft report to also assess the clinical sustainability of South Island neurosurgery services."
