![Brian Rousseau Brian Rousseau](https://www.odt.co.nz/sites/default/files/styles/odt_portrait_medium_3_4/public/story/2016/04/ROUSSEAU_briancrop.jpg?itok=2ISzhzb5)
The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director alleges the proposal to cut senior doctor numbers from eight to six, was based on a "non-existent review".
"The war in Iraq was justified on weapons of mass destruction that did not exist. Are we now going to have the destruction of a rural public hospital based on a review that did not exist?" he asked yesterday.
However, SDHB chief executive Brian Rousseau denied those claims, saying Mr Powell had "lost the plot" with his latest comments.
This month, Mr Rousseau announced plans to reduce staff numbers at the hospital, based on a desktop review from former chief medical officer Pim Allen, that the majority of attendances at the hospital could have been dealt with safely in primary care.
Mr Powell alleges senior doctors "smelled a rat", following unsuccessful attempts to obtain a copy of the review.
"We then directly asked Mr Rousseau for a copy. He admitted that he did not have it, had not seen it, but agreed to get it from Dr Allen who is now overseas."
Mr Powell alleges the March 11 letter "provides a shocking revelation" that no report was written at the time, and does not say most attendances at the hospital could be dealt with safely in primary care.
Mr Rousseau rejected that claim - "I never said there was an actual report." He said while Dr Allen did not document her findings, she was "happy to stand by her review".
Mr Powell said there appeared to be a "high level of predetermination" over the issue and Southern DHB management had caused "anxiety for the public of Wakatipu and distress for the hospitals doctors and nurses, whose voices and experience has been ignored".
Mr Rousseau denied that, saying it was Mr Powell who had gone to the media scaremongering.