Controversial plan to send Auckland’s blood tests to Wellington scrapped

Around 250 blood samples were being couriered from Auckland to Wellington each day for processing. Photo / 123rf

A controversial plan for Auckland’s only community laboratory to send its blood tests to Wellington for processing has been scrapped.

Awanui Labs in Auckland has been sending immunology samples to Wellington since February after its processing machinery broke down.

The company, which is contracted to Health New Zealand, has been consulting on whether to make this a permanent arrangement, a move that would have led to 11 job losses in its Auckland laboratory.

In a meeting with staff this afternoon, Awanui said this proposal would no longer go ahead.

“Following staff consultation, Awanui has made the decision not to proceed with the proposed changes to our Auckland immunology service,” a spokeswoman said.

“We operate in a patient-centred service environment and are always looking to improve how our service is delivered to New Zealanders.

“As with all proposals, decisions on service changes or enhancements are made in consultation with key stakeholders, including our staff, and in the best interests of patients.”

It is not known why the plan was dropped but it is understood Health NZ was surprised by the proposal. Awanui said last month it had not told Health NZ about the internal process.

The union for lab workers said the proposal was a “cost-cutting exercise” that would likely lead to delays and problems with recruitment.

The Wellington lab did not have capacity to take on all of Auckland’s immunology tests, the union said.

Since February, about 250 tests have been delivered by third-party road couriers to Wellington every weekday, with an airfreight shipment being made every Sunday.

There have been some hitches. The Herald revealed last month that hundreds of tests that were headed for Wellington were temporarily mislaid.

Awanui Labs confirmed samples were “delayed” because of a third-party courier before being relocated again through GPS tracking.

In one case, the samples were tracked within a few hours and were still viable. In the other case, the lab had to collect new specimens using samples that it retained in its Auckland lab.

Awanui is also involved in a long-running dispute over pay with 500 lab scientists and technicians.

The company has previously said its funding had not kept up with the financial pressures created by pay equity settlements in 2023, which meant lab technicians in the public sector earned more.

Privately run labs were mostly funded by bulk-funded contracts that were set before the pay equity settlement and did not allow for big increases in wage costs, the company said.

Isaac Davison is an Auckland-based reporter who covers Auckland Issues. He joined the Herald in 2008 and has previously covered the environment, politics, social issues, and healthcare.

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