Otherwise it was"business as usual", he said.
The DHB would continue to assess the situation if the computer system remained offline.
He stressed the fact people"might not have procedures" was more related to the bed situation than purely because the computer system was down.
The failure came after it was revealed last week that more than 3800 Southland Hospital mammograms were lost as a result of an IT failure.
Asked if the latest failure could result in patient records being lost, he said:"I should hope not, because the back-ups on these things are particularly meticulous."
However, he said there was"anxiety" about patient records and it would not be known what had happened to records until the system was back online.
In the meantime, medical professionals had reverted to a paper-based system, which resulted in things taking "a little longer" than normal.
It also meant "piles of templates and papers" were stacking up, which would need to be retrospectively added to the computer system, creating extra work.
He disputed a claim from Dunedin North MP and Labour associate health spokesman David Clark that the failure had put patient lives at risk and was a result of cost-cutting.
Dr Clark's claims were "scare-mongering and scandalous", he said.
"I am not minimising it. It is slowing things down, but it's not putting people at risk."
Asked if the public could have confidence in the DHB's IT system given the latest failure and the earlier loss of mammograms, he said:"I would think so.
"We do invest a lot in terms of having the appropriate equipment and it being upgraded. We believe it is [up to scratch], but I guess the public can't help but draw their own conclusions."
IT workers "right up to the top folk at IBM" were working round the clock to get the system online.
Mr Bunton did not feel qualified to answer technical questions about why it might have failed. The server was"rebooting" and given its size this could take some time.
Dr Clark released a statement yesterday afternoon saying the collapse put patients' lives at risk and was symptomatic of cost-cutting across the health sector.
"Patient lives are at risk. Clinical leaders have been unable to access lab results, clinical notes, patient contact details, diaries and operating rosters, let alone communication tools like email."
Health Minister Tony Ryall had placed "so much pressure on DHBs that they are in survival mode".
