The eight mayors within the Southern District Health Board region are hoping their joint declaration supporting the retention of neurosurgery services in Dunedin will have some clout.
The mayors yesterday expressed their concerns about the future of neurosurgery in the region to the Director-general of Health, Stephen McKernan, who is convening a panel of experts to advise him on the South Island service.
Central Otago Mayor Malcolm Macpherson said: "It's the first time I can recall all eight mayors, Otago and Southland, taking such a stand on any issue, so that says something about the depth of feeling."
Dr Macpherson, together with Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin, Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt, Gore Mayor Tracy Hicks, Southland Mayor Frana Cardno, Clutha Mayor Juno Hayes, Queenstown- Lakes Mayor Clive Geddes and Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton have told Mr McKernan it was vital for neurosurgery services to be retained in Dunedin.
"This is one thing all eight of us think the same on and we need to pull out all the stops.
Hopefully the fact that all the southern mayors are making a joint declaration and drawing a line in the sand will have some influence," Dr Macpherson said.
The mayors have referred Mr McKernan to last Thursday's editorial in the Otago Daily Times and an opinion piece in the same issue by Southern DHB member Richard Thomson, and quoted excerpts from both, saying they made the case "with stark clarity" for neurosurgery services to be retained.
Their reaction follows a suggestion South Island neurosurgery services be based in Canterbury, with six neurosurgeons there, rather than having two based in Dunedin and four in Christchurch.