We let down Kaitaia people says Northland Health Board

By BRIDGET CARTER and TONY GEE

A chastened Northland District Health Board yesterday restored services at Kaitaia Hospital - and admitted it had failed to work alongside the Far North community.

Caesarean operations and 24-hour acute surgery services should resume by tomorrow.

The decision followed a three-hour crisis meeting in Whangarei yesterday with Health Minister Annette King.

Within the next two days, two locum anaesthetists and a locum with paediatric experience will begin work at the hospital for three months until a long-term plan is developed for Far North health services.

Caesarean operations will go ahead on the grounds that patients give informed consent and are offered specialist services from an obstetrician at Whangarei.

The Ministry of Health will contribute to the salaries of the three new doctors.

Board chairwoman Lynette Stewart said members had failed to get alongside groups in the Far North.

They would now work harder at improving consultation with the community and staff.

"The board has learned our lesson today and we are pleased to be working with the people of the north," she said.

Mrs King said the decision reached in Whangarei had been the result of sheer hard work and the ability of people to compromise.

There had been no question of her overriding the board.

"We got people talking about the issues and how to resolve them."

Kaitaia Hospital action group spokesman Millie Srhoj said his group was thrilled beyond belief.

"I must say today's result is thanks to people in the action group who stood loyal and committed throughout.

"There's also a lot of thanks to the community, who have supported us when they have been called on."

The clinical manager of maternity services at Kaitaia, Stephanie Getty, said: "Now I want to retire and be a midwife. It's the start of a long road and it looks as though someone finally got some sense.

"Our bottom line was give the caesareans back to us and we'll do the rest."

Northland MP John Carter said: "It's a tribute to the community and shows what spirit Kaitaia and the Far North has.

"It's also a triumph for democracy because the people stood up for their rights and they were delivered."

Te Tai Tokerau MP Dover Samuels, who was instrumental in arranging yesterday's meetings in Whangarei and Kaitaia, said common sense had prevailed by bringing people together.

Acute surgery after 5pm at Kaitaia Hospital and at weekends was stopped in May when the board and Northland Health cited a shortage of anaesthetists.

Caesareans were halted two weeks ago when the surgeons were told they no longer had the right credentials. Some patients were forced to travel to Whangarei.

Meanwhile, the board's chief executive, Ken Whelan, said he would be moving to Australia to take up a job as a district manager with Queensland Health.

Mr Whelan, who resigned from the Northland board on Monday, denied his departure was related to the situation at Kaitaia Hospital.

nzherald.co.nz/hospitals