Canterbury neurosurgeons got their first chance to meet the South Island neurosurgery service's governance board chairman Prof Andrew Kaye yesterday, but details of their discussions have not been revealed.
The meeting comes hard on the heels of concerns raised in Parliament this week by Labour's health spokeswoman Ruth Dyson that two of the four neurosurgeons, including clinical leader Martin MacFarlane, were threatening to resign if the changes were imposed on them.
Mr MacFarlane and neurosurgeon Ronald Boet were reported in The Press newspaper yesterday as saying they were "in discussions" with the ministry about their concerns.
Mr Boet said all neurosurgeons were unhappy with the way the panel review was carried out, and its recommendations, including the new governance body.
The new model will involve neurosurgery at both Dunedin and Christchurch, and increasing the number of neurosurgeons in Christchurch over time.
In Dunedin three neurosurgeons are proposed, two of them with University of Otago responsibilities.
Mr Boet was quoted as saying it was "absolutely ridiculous" there were no Canterbury neurosurgeons on the governance board.
In The Press article Mr Boet repeated earlier claims many more patients would be injured because of a "botched operation" by an inexperienced surgeon than from an acute-injury patient having to be transferred from Dunedin to Christchurch.
Yesterday, questions to the Canterbury District Health Board by the Otago Daily Times about whether Messrs MacFarlane and Boet were prepared to work with the governance board were not specifically answered.
Board chief executive David Meates said yesterday's discussions had focused on progressing the South Island neurosurgical services to achieve the best future outcomes for patients. Further talks were planned to develop service delivery.
Reaction to the news of the Canterbury neurosurgeons' concerns received a brief response from the co-organiser of the Keep Neurosurgery in Dunedin Facebook site, associate Prof Samuel Mann yesterday.
His posting read: "Toys. Cot."
