An alliance with Wellington's neurosurgery department might be needed to ensure the future of the South Island neurosurgical service through providing a big enough population base for sub-specialisation, former governance board chairman Prof Andrew Kaye says.
Professor Kaye made the proposal in the 2011-12 annual report, the Melbourne neurosurgeon and academic's last before departing the role.
Professor Kaye's report said while last year's successful $3 million fundraising campaign was "fundamental" through securing the Dunedin node of the service, there were still serious challenges.
"It is especially recognised that even though it encompasses the whole of the South Island, the service is relatively small, thereby making effective sub-specialisation difficult to implement.
"There is a view that consideration should be given to establishing a strategic alliance with the Wellington neurosurgery department and thereby establishing a southern neurosurgery service."