An acute surgery special project at Dunedin Hospital granted $419,000 last year never began because of staff recruitment problems.
The money was to fund 35 hours of night surgery a week to address a "crisis" in acute surgery at Dunedin Hospital outlined in a business case to the board last July.
Asked what became of the initiative, emergency medicine and surgery general manager Dr Colleen Coop said the money was channelled into other surgical work. She blamed "ongoing recruitment problems" for the situation.
"Since it was first announced, the board has approved the commissioning of a ninth [operating] theatre, and we are now focusing on recruiting for the opening of that theatre. The ninth theatre will replace the need for an evening theatre list," she said.
