Hospice Waikato to enhance services

Hospice Waikato is to appoint its own palliative care physician based in Hamilton at the Gallagher Family Hospice and working throughout the Waikato community.

Chief executive Elizabeth Bang today said the hospice hoped to have a specialised doctor in place for the opening of its inpatient facilities early next year.

Hospice Waikato currently shares palliative care physicians with Waikato District Health Board's hospital and health services provider arm Health Waikato.

"We see our own appointment as essential for this part of our growth. This will enhance services for the palliative patients of the Waikato," said Mrs Bang.
Until Hospice Waikato makes a permanent appointment, the charitable trust will continue to access Health Waikato's palliative care services. Health Waikato funds half the existing palliative care physician position through funds it gets from Waikato DHB.

That will continue until Hospice Waikato recruits its new physician.
Chief operating officer Jan Adams said rather than use three Health Waikato palliative physicians, as is the current arrangement, she agreed to a Hospice Waikato request to have one physician available.

"Hospice Waikato has a lot to do before it opens its inpatient unit early next year. Having one person working with project manager Margaret McGill to commission and have the unit certified by the Ministry of Health makes sense," she said.

The physician will also have a role to play in the business as usual activities of Hospice Waikato and Health Waikato.

Hospice Waikato's inpatient unit will have 10 adult and two children's beds.
Waikato DHB, through its funding arm, provides Hospice Waikato with about 54 per cent of its annual operating budget of $2.9 million.

In addition, Hospice Waikato is to get $2.356 million spread over two years as part of the Government's initiative to boost hospice funding. The funding is to expand care and services and to help hospices meet their current financial challenges. The rest of Hospice Waikato's funding comes from its own shops, bequests and general donations.

Key points:

* Appointment of palliative physician for Hospice Waikato
* Hospice Waikato board sees this appointment as essential for its growth
* This position will enhance services for Waikato palliative patients
* Both Hospice Waikato and Health Waikato agree to this position being advertised
* Hospice Waikato will continue to work with Health Waikato's palliative care unit staff until an appointment made
* The new position will be advertised as .5 - one full time equivalent
* It could take three to six months to recruit
* Hospice Waikato prefers to work with one physician during the interim for continuity.

ENDS