Polytechnic to Stand up for Southern Neurosurgery

Polytechnic to Stand up for Southern Neurosurgery

Otago Polytechnic is encouraging its staff and students to throw their collective weight behind today’s public march in support of the retention neurosurgical services at Dunedin Hospital.

The Polytechnic believes that committing its strength in numbers will assist in delivering a strong message to the government against centralisation of key healthcare services in Christchurch.

Southern District Health Board is objecting to a proposal that would see all six South Island neurosurgeons based in Christchurch, and is instead pushing for two surgeons to remain at Dunedin Hospital, where neurosurgical services have been delivered for more than 65 years. Their position has won wide public support.

“Our organisation is home to around 700 staff and 10,000 students based predominantly in the Otago region. We are not willing to compromise the health and wellbeing of even one of those people, not to mention our wider community, by standing by while key services are removed from Dunedin” says Dr Robin Day, Acting CEO of Otago Polytechnic

“Additionally we pride ourselves on delivering quality training to New Zealand’s future health professionals and our health programmes rely on a quality fully functioning health service. “Any decline in the provision of health services will have a knock-on effect on training and education. It may also impact on the choices students make to study in Dunedin.”

“We deliver our programmes to students across the Otago and Southland regions and have worked hard to support rural and provincial communities” adds Dr Sally Pairman, Group Manager of Health and Community at Otago Polytechnic.

“We understand through our students the impact of travelling to main centres for all sorts of services including education and we are extremely concerned at the negative impact the loss of neurosurgical services will have on the rural communities of Otago and Southland where the additional time to access health services is already a factor.

“This will only be exacerbated by centralising neurosurgical services in Christchurch.”

The Polytechnic also intends to lobby the government directly on behalf of its staff, students and wider community.

ENDS