With regard to the cuts at the new Dunedin hospital: we in Oamaru are one and a-half hours away from Dunedin, but one hour from Timaru.
Our local hospital is excellent for triage but needs to have access to larger hospitals for emergency surgery and care.
Surely it makes sense for Oamaru people to now be able to use Timaru Hospital?
I believe this was on the table a few years ago.
I feel it is time to consider it again, in light of the heavy demand on Dunedin facilities. It is more accessible, especially during winter and takes a bit of the load off Dunedin Hospital.
Kay Hannan
Oamaru
Te Whatu Ora hospital and specialist services Te Waipounamu regional director Dan Pallister-Coward replies:
One of the key actions of Te Pae Tata (Interim New Zealand Health Plan) is to ensure that people get the care that they need, closer to home.
The benefit of being a nationally joined up health service means we can increase regional co-ordination to deliver health services.
While there will always be some clinical services which will need to be delivered through Dunedin and Christchurch hospitals, there is a lot we can do within our region to make it easier for our communities to receive health care.
For example, our South Canterbury team has been supporting our Southern team to deliver orthopaedic surgery as they have more capacity.
A maxillofacial surgeon from Christchurch recently travelled down to Timaru to perform surgeries that patients have traditionally had to travel to Christchurch for.
We haven’t yet changed the referral boundaries but as the health reforms progress, we can expect to see regional co-ordination happening more and more.
Bus services praised
I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for the bus service in Dunedin, which I have used daily for a decade now.
The system has never been flawless, and the past few years have created a perfect storm of challenges.
But as much as I empathise with my fellow commuters’ frustration, I feel it is vitally important not to let understandable frustration become full-blown anti-public-transport prejudice and snobbery.
Our frequently-aired complaints are proof that the bus service plays a crucial role in many people’s lives.
I look forward to any improvements offered.
But mostly I am grateful for the service that carries me and so many others around this city on our daily journeys.
Genevieve Scanlan
Andersons Bay
Forestry and diamonds
Having just escaped from the Northland cyclone devastation by bus from Hamilton to Wellington, one could view the forests and gullies blooming with trees. Up north there was some severe damage to both exotic and native trees.
Jim Childerstone (Letters, 1.3.23) is correct, forestry is a great benefit to the nation. It’s only about 70 years ago that the nation was going down to the sea in slips and planting exotic trees could halt the erosion.
Slash is simply a forestry by-product that a wealthy nation can ignore until a real cyclone hits the land. If most was harvested it could be used for so many valuable purposes.
We, the tribe of five million, walk on diamonds.
Jim Moffat
Caversham
Let Dunedin’s students socialise safely
A disappointing story on the front page (ODT, 24.2.23): "Overcrowded student party closed down".
I am most concerned about the welfare and futures of our students and local young people.
Many will complain about the behaviour, the drinking, the mess and now the overcrowding, but it is really time to ask why?.
The answer is simple. These young people are seeking company and enjoyment, but sadly they have nowhere to go. They just turn up at a party with a can.
When I was young, supervised (non-alcohol) dances were held three nights each week and always on Wednesdays and Saturdays. We had music, dance and especially enjoyed meeting new people. At graduation time, students enjoyed "Wool Store Hops".
Times have changed but young people need supervised areas to meet and socialise more than ever.
When parents bring their children to study they want (and expect) the best for each of them. Many have just left school and are experiencing real freedom for the first time.
They need excellent accommodation and learning opportunities as well as times for sport and entertainment. Most of all they need care, encouragement and protection.
I had high hopes when the "Sophia Charter" was prepared. I expected that the university and Dunedin City Council together would provide large, safe, supervised venues and areas for our deserving young people.
It’s time for Sammy’s to be developed and halls to be opened. Young people and students are the future of our city and country. Dunedin is the "Education City" so let’s welcome students to our city and provide some safe socialising areas for them.
Bernice Armstrong
North East Valley
