Big win for Kaitaia hospital

The honour of cutting the ribbon to officially open Kaitaia Hospital's oncology treatment unit on Friday went to patient Irene Larsen, who was supported by nurses Annette Jordan (left) and Ella Davy.

Dr Andrew Potts made no bones about it - the scale of Kaitaia Hospital's achievement in opening an oncology treatment unit on Friday could hardly be over-estimated.

The unit, Tatau Ki Te Waka Oranga, which will save some cancer patients multiple trips to Whangarei, was officially opened by one of those patients, Kaitaia woman Irene Larsen.

Dr Potts, Northland DHB general manager surgical services, said the unit represented a big achievement. Localising services was very difficult, he said, given the "gravitational pull" of centralisation.

It had required courage, ingenuity and stamina, qualities with which the hospital staff were well endowed.

"To put it in perspective," he said, "Auckland and North Shore hospitals have been talking for several years about doing what you are doing here today."

It had taken nine months, he added, which was a "very human gestation period".

Improving things for patients was what made health care better, and while he had always regarded the process of establishing the unit as difficult, he had been confident that it would be achieved, given that the team at Kaitaia Hospital was probably the Northland DHB at getting things done.

"You always seem to find a way of getting past, over or around obstacles," Dr Potts said.

"You have a tremendous 'can do' attitude here, and I congratulate all involved in establishing this unit."