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Clyde Wade to Help Out in Thames
Media Release
Date: 29 May 2007
Clyde Wade to Help
Out in Thames
Waikato Hospital’s Clinical Leader for Medicine, cardiologist Clyde Wade, has been seconded to Thames Hospital to lead the clinical team.
The appointment was announced today by Waikato District Health Board health services general manager Jan Adams.
Dr Wade will provide support to Thames Hospital’s clinical director John Lennane and hospital manager Jacquie Mitchell.
“Clyde has a very good understanding of the situation in Thames and has worked as a general manager at Taumarunui Hospital. His management skills and clinical experience will be invaluable to the team at Thames,” said Ms Adams.
Dr Wade, 59, grew up in Tauranga and trained at Otago University’s Medical School. He became a trainee intern at Wellington Hospital in 1972, then House Surgeon and Medical Registrar in Wellington.
In 1978 he moved to Kings College Hospital in London where he worked as a research fellow and honorary registrar in the Cardiology Department until 1982.
On his return to New Zealand he became a cardiologist at Waikato Hospital.
Dr Wade is married with four sons and lives on a 20ha deer farm just out of Hamilton and is a member of the Waikato Heart Trust. Until earlier this year he was a member of the board of trustees at Frankton School.
“I know the pressure they’re under in Thames and I’m available to help as much as I can. The people of Thames and the Coromandel can be assured Waikato DHB is committed to providing a quality service,” he said.
Ms Adams said Dr Wade would work at Thames for “as long as he is needed”.
A $16.9 million upgrade at Thames Hospital is scheduled to begin next month. The DHB is expected to announce details of the successful tenderer later this week, she said.
Dr Wade’s appointment came only days after Ms Adams denied a trainee intern was offered a medical officer’s position at Thames Hospital.
The New Zealand Resident Doctors Association claimed dire shortages of doctors in the public health system had prompted Thames Hospital to approach students in their last year of training to fill temporary vacancies created by qualified doctors going on leave.
Thames-based board member Sally Christie said the claim was “mischievous and unhelpful”.
“The board has shown its commitment to Thames Hospital. The shortage at Thames, and other rural hospitals around New Zealand, is a national issue which needs to be urgently addressed.
“The reality is staff are not moving to hospitals in the rural areas. In the meanwhile we should be doing all we can to support the staff we’ve got who are doing all they can under trying circumstances,” she said.
Ms Adams said Thames, and hospitals like it, were relying on locums to regularly provide cover.
“The locum market is quite a lucrative one. The DHB spends a huge amount of time and effort getting doctor coverage for all our hospitals, including Thames,” she said.
ENDS
Waikato District Health Board
Healthy People. Excellent Care
Waikato District Health Board (DHB) employs over 6500 people and plans, funds and provides hospital and health services to more than 391,770 people in a region covering eight per cent of New Zealand.
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