Yesterday, the Otago Daily Times reported that ED specialist Dr John Chambers, who is also a union representative, believed the Southern District Health Board had backtracked on an additional 4.5 senior medical officers (SMOs) for the department because of lack of funds.
After preparing time-consuming rosters factoring in the extra staff, senior doctors were told the new appointments were no longer top priority, Dr Chambers said.
Funding for the extra specialists was approved by the board in July, subject to budget constraints. It was tied in with the board's approval of a 10-bed observation unit, which will open in the middle of the year to ease pressure on the department.
ED is the subject of a major internal improvement process to cut waiting times, which constantly fall short of national targets.
In an interview with the ODT on Monday, DHB chairman Joe Butterfield said no decision had been made on the extra staffing.
In a strongly worded statement yesterday, Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Ian Powell called on Mr Ryall to intervene.
"Whatever the cause for this backtracking, the Government has a responsibility to sort it.
"If it is due to under-funding, then the Government needs to fix it.
"If it is due to inadequate management of government funding, then the Government needs to fix this also."
Specialists had a right to work in a properly staffed department.
Dunedin's ED had 7.6 specialists, and should have up to 13 if it followed professional guidelines, Mr Powell said. (The ED is seeking an additional 0.6 specialist).
Southland Hospital was similarly understaffed, and there were issues in other parts of the country.
"We are getting increasingly tired of health bosses ducking their responsibilities and leaving hospital specialists to be increasingly overworked and overstretched."
In a brief emailed statement, Mr Ryall said the Southern DHB was responsible for the situation.
"Dunedin has to improve its emergency department performance. It is a key accountability for the DHB and I am confident that staff and management know that. Patients have been promised improved emergency department performance and they deserve it."