The Southern District Health Board (SDHB) will consider any alternatives to its proposal for Lakes District Hospital, says chief executive Brian Rousseau.
He was responding to Val Miller's comments in the Otago Daily Times this week about a group of Queenstown medical staff getting together to come up with an alternative to the board's proposal.
Dr Miller, a general practitioner at Wakatipu Medical Centre, said the group would be meeting this weekend to come up with a new plan to solve problems in the Queenstown health system.
The SDHB's consultation document proposes refurbishing the hospital into an Integrated Family Healthcare Centre as a one-stop-shop for health services.
Submissions closed in April.
Mr Rousseau said he had spoken to Dr Miller and would be happy to receive the group's proposal.
"I have given them extra time and I understand they are proceeding.
"Consultation has closed on what we have proposed but they need more time to submit an alternative proposal so I have said that's fine.
"I will need to look at it and consider it," he said.
He was waiting to hear from the group about how long it would take to submit the proposal.
He was very pleased with the 271 submissions received.
"The process was extremely well supported in terms of numbers.
"I'm looking forward to going through those and doing a feedback report for the board," he said.
The report would be presented to board members at its June or July meeting, he said.
