Most elderly who have appealed against losing their housework help are also losing their battle with the southern health boards.
Of 89 appeals against the service cut that have been dealt with, just 18 had been successful in Otago and Southland.
The Otago and Southland District Health Boards are reducing the amount of housework help provided to the elderly, as the boards say they over-deliver compared with the national average.
The boards are sending letters to about 1600 elderly in Otago and Southland getting one and a-half hours' help or less, and in about two weeks will start to reassess those receiving more help, either face-to-face or by telephone.
Planning and funding regional general manager David Chrisp said that as of noon on Thursday, 1078 letters had gone out, 581 in Otago and 497 in Southland, prompting 342 appeals in Otago and 222 appeals in Southland.
Eighty of the resolved appeals were in Southland and nine in Otago. Dealing with the appeals had only just started in Otago, where an extra administration person had been brought in to help.
Mr Chrisp was unable to say how many of the successful appeals were in each province.
