The Mobile Surgical Unit — Te Waka Hauora is run by Mobile Health Group with the support of Health New Zealand.
It travels throughout New Zealand to provide an elective day surgery service in 25 rural areas.
The unit provides timely and accessible healthcare services for people living in areas away from main hospitals.
The unit began visiting Oamaru in 2002 and since then has treated 1514 local patients.
Nationwide, more than 33,000 elective day-surgery operations have been delivered via the mobile units.
Health New Zealand’s Oamaru Hospital outpatient booking co-ordinator Sandra Humby said the mobile service was tailored to meet the specific population, ethnicity and healthcare needs of each location.
It allowed eligible patients in the Waitaki district to receive care closer to home, rather than travel to Dunedin or Timaru.
"People are happy to be seen in their own community," Ms Humby said.
"Nothing beats being close to home. We know that the cost of travelling, accommodation and taking time off work can be challenging.
‘‘Recovery close to home with loved ones is also a benefit."
The mobile unit also gives easier access for pre-surgery and post-operative appointments for better continuity of care and a quicker response to any complications.
"It’s also a bonus that patients treated on the surgical unit often have the advantage of being operated on by the same surgeon who initially assessed them.
"While the option of the surgical unit may not be an option for everyone, it certainly is a much-welcomed service for our community."
Ms Humby said the other advantage was it could fit someone in on the day, as happened recently — saving an older patient a trip to Dunedin.
"The patient was treated and back home in time for his afternoon cup of tea."
Ms Humby’s mother, Dorothy, was the previous outpatient booking co-ordinator.
Ms Humby described her work as more than a job. It was a calling, and she felt a deep connection to it.
Mobile Health Group chief executive Mark Eager said building strong bonds with host sites in rural locations was crucial in ensuring seamless co-ordination and trust vital for efficient and successful operations.
The state-of-the-art mobile theatre also served as a training tool for local health professionals through the Rural Health Education programme.
Since 2002, Mobile Surgical had delivered more than 50,000 hours of training for rural nurses and 1500 hours of training for rural doctors.
Oamaru registered nurse Violet Thelning said the education programme gave her and colleagues opportunities to learn or develop new skills.
It provided the opportunity for rural health professionals for ongoing specialty care education and training with the Mobile Surgical team support to develop skills.
Central Medical GP Richard McLeod has worked on the surgical unit several times and said there were many benefits in having a GP involved.
These included continuity of care, improving surgical skills and reinforcing relationships with secondary care colleagues.
The service was designed to link with local communities and involve local nurses.
"By providing these nurses and doctors with access to advanced training and equipment, we empower them to deliver high-quality care and improve patient outcomes in rural areas," Mr McLeod said.
— APL
