Disgruntled arthritis patients claim access to Rotorua's QE Health is being unfairly restricted by public health officials and their purse strings.
Comments by members of QE Health's Patients' Association coincide with a Lakes District Health Board decision not to renew a $300,000 orthopaedic contract with QE Health for high and complex needs patients. The decision means between 20 and 30 severe arthritis patients in Rotorua and Taupo will only be sent to QE Health on a "case by case" basis.
This has outraged association president Margaret Parker, who says those are the patients with the most to gain from QE Health's specialist care.
QE Health (formerly Queen Elizabeth Hospital) is considered a "centre of excellence" for rheumatology and rehabilitative services while also providing orthopaedic surgery for arthritic disease sufferers.
Historically, health boards from around the North Island sent patients to QE Health for surgery and treatment.
In recent years, however, an increasing number of boards have withdrawn their funding contracts, choosing instead to spend limited public funds on treating patients themselves.
The Lakes health board controversially axed an elective hips and knees surgical contract with QE Health in 2004, arguing it was more cost-effective to perform the surgery "in-house."
That prompted more than 600 people to sign a petition urging the health board to reconsider.
The health board negotiated a new three-year contract with QE Health for complex arthritic patients.
It expires on June 30 and won't be renewed.
Instead, the board will buy surgery on a case by case basis from QE Health for those patients the health board is unable to manage itself at Rotorua Hospital.
Board chairman Stewart Edward said decisions about who will be treated at QE Health will be made after an assessment by orthopaedic surgeons and management.
He was confident Rotorua Hospital had the capability and capacity to meet the increased surgeries. Operations which required specialist expertise, such as hand surgery, might be referred on.
Mrs Parker said the decision was "concerning" for QE Health and its future.
"It means there's expertise at QE which is not being used for the people it's there for."
QE Health has orthopaedic contracts with Bay of Plenty and Waikato district health boards but receives few patients from other Midland boards, such as Taranaki and Tairawhiti.
Two years ago the Auckland District Health Board decided to no longer send its rheumatology and rehabilitative patients to QE Health, leaving a limited number of contracts with health boards in the lower half of the North Island.
This has upset Omokoroa woman Pippa Coulston, who is a patients' association member. She told the Daily Post she was battling the Auckland DHB to rethink its decision on behalf of an Auckland osteoarthritis patient and friend who credits QE Health's treatment with helping her regain her mobility and independence.
"Internationally it's regarded as an example of excellence and the services there are unique.
"It's a national treasure and should be treated as such."
Despite Lakes' decision not to renew its complex needs contract, QE Health chief executive Ben Smit said the company's future was positive.
He hoped to recoup the funding shortfall through increasing the level of private work.
Outrage as QE contract axed
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