Dargaville Hospital campus is now known as Dargaville Health Hub but the hospital still operates inside the hub, Health NZ says. Photo / Denise Piper
Dargaville Hospital campus is now known as Dargaville Health Hub but the hospital still operates inside the hub, Health NZ says. Photo / Denise Piper
Dargaville residents outraged by changes to their local hospital are rallying to save it with a public meeting.
But Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora says the hospital is not under threat and is receiving investment in people and facilities.
Last week, Health NZ announced Dargaville Hospital will be renamedDargaville Health Hub.
A new user-pays acute and urgent care service will operate from 8am to 8.30pm, seven days a week, with no admissions after 8.30pm.
The service will be jointly run with the use of doctors and clinicians from onsite private practice Dargaville Medical Centre, with one nurse a day moved from the hospital’s triage service to help.
Walker was also concerned about the need for patients to get to Whangārei Hospital after 8.30pm, a 45-minute trip from Dargaville but up to two hours from remote areas like Pouto.
Walker and his association were organising a public meeting, “Save Dargaville Hospital,” on Thursday to rally support to reverse the changes.
In 1993, 70 public meetings in Kaipara helped stop a proposed hospital closure, with the Government eventually giving a $1.9 million suspensory loan to Kaipara Community Health Trust to buy a 46% share in the hospital site.
Walker said the trust was set up to protect privatisation and loss of services, calling the new service user charges “insulting”.
Dargaville Hospital campus is now known as Dargaville Health Hub but the hospital still operates inside the hub, Health NZ says. Photo / Denise Piper
Health NZ admitted some changes were poorly communicated, saying the hospital was not under threat and the new service enhanced what was previously available.
“We are now formalising that there’s no doctor overnight by reorganising the roster to provide the service 8am to 8.30pm, seven days a week, which we think will deal with the majority of presentations in Dargaville.”
Pimm said Dargaville Hospital’s 12-bed ward will remain 24/7, operating within the broader Dargaville Health Hub, with the new name reflecting the range of services on the campus.
Suggestions the fees for the new service would be up to $100 were incorrect, he said.
The fee will be $30.50 for Kiwi adults on weekdays and $36 on weekends, with discounts for youth and patients with Community Services Cards. Children under 14 will be free.
Alex Pimm from Health NZ says Dargaville Hospital is "not going anywhere". Photo / Denise Piper
Pimm said the service expanded the hours previously offered by Dargaville Medical Centre, which closed at 5pm on weekdays and midday on Saturdays.
The hospital will get a facility upgrade to house the service, has a new oncology service one day a week, plus possible expansion into other services such as renal dialysis and more diagnostics, he said.
“There’s no need to be concerned that the hospital is going anywhere,” Pimm said.
Health NZ will continue to recruit for more clinicians, with Northland recruitment boosted by new training positions and greater flexibility, he said.
This means hospital positions will not be restricted to doctors with rural health medical training but could include nurse practitioners, advanced paramedics and doctors with emergency training, he said.
The Dargaville Ratepayers and Residents Association meeting will be held at Dargaville’s Lighthouse Function Centre from 7pm on Thursday.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
