Hamstrung by living in a "rural area", residents of Wānaka are facing a growing frustration as they are forced to pay for blood tests and other services that are typically publicly funded.
For many, including Nickie Overton, the situation has become a significant financial burden, particularly for those with ongoing health conditions.
Three years ago, Ms Overton was diagnosed with giant cell arteritis, an autoimmune condition that requires frequent blood tests to monitor the correct dosage of steroids.
With no lab available in Wānaka, she has to pay $19 per test, a cost that has accumulated to over $1000.
"Sometimes I need blood tests up to once a week when my condition is unstable," Ms Overton said.
"This is essential to keeping the disease under control. If not treated, it can lead to vision loss or a stroke."
The lack of a blood-testing lab in Wānaka is particularly stark given the size of the town. Wānaka’s population is three times that of Balclutha and twice the size of Gore, yet neither of these towns has to pay for blood tests, as they have local labs that provide the service at no cost. In contrast, Wānaka residents such as Ms Overton must rely on staff at local medical centres to take their blood, with the added inconvenience of waiting days for an appointment.
"It’s frustrating that I have to pay, and there will be people in far more difficult positions than I am," Ms Overton said.
"If I lived in a place like Clyde, Queenstown, Dunedin or Invercargill, the tests would be free. It doesn’t seem fair."
Living Well Te Waipounamu regional director Andrew Goodger acknowledged the issue and confirmed work was under way to standardise blood collection models across the South Island to improve access for residents.
Last year, medical centres in Wānaka recorded a combined 11,140 blood tests, indicating a significant demand for this service. However, with the nearest blood-testing centres located in Clyde and Queenstown — both a two-hour round trip — many residents face additional travel costs, further compounding the financial strain.
Ms Overton said the government should take responsibility for covering the costs of these tests, as they did in other parts of New Zealand
This week, Health Action Wānaka, a local health awareness group, released a report outlining critical failures in the healthcare system for the Upper Clutha district. The report, based on interviews with 300 residents, paints a stark picture of significant unmet needs, systemic barriers and a lack of strategic planning to address the growing health demands in the region.
According to the findings, the healthcare system in Wānaka is struggling to keep up with the needs of its population. The report also highlights that as the population is projected to grow substantially in the next 30 years, these challenges are only expected to get worse unless immediate action is taken.
A spokesperson for Health Action Wānaka noted the region’s Health NZ funding was insufficient to cover even the salary costs of local clinical staff, forcing general practices to make difficult decisions about reducing services or passing additional costs on to patients. As a result, Wānaka now operates largely on a user-pays system for healthcare.
Health Minister Simeon Brown, who received the report last week, expressed his commitment to improving healthcare accessibility for all New Zealanders and said he would be meet Health Action Wānaka soon.
