COMMUNICATIONS

Media Release - 18/02/2005

Rural Advisory Group Established for Health Services Review

The Canterbury District Health Board has established an advisory group to assist in its review of health services in rural Canterbury. The group comprises representatives of Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) local authorities, rural public health nurses, iwi, resthome providers, ACC, specialist service providers, emergency services, home care services, community health groups, social services and providers of rural mental health, covering the region from Kaikoura to Ashburton.

The CDHB’s General Manager Planning & Funding Dr Karleen Edwards said the group has identified the scope of the project and the issues the review will address. These include:

The advisory group will look at the consultation process for stakeholders and the community, how and when this is going to take place and what are the community’s expectations.

Dr Edwards said the review followed on from the action plan that had been developed in May 2002.

‘At that time we consulted with rural communities about health services and at that time the main concern was about recruitment and retention of rural GPs. Since then new funding has guaranteed that rural GPs are able to work reasonable rosters and they should now have more resources available for continuing education, attending conferences and taking holidays.’

Dr Edwards said PHOs had now been established in rural Canterbury. In addition to supporting rural general practices, PHOs had been actively working to engage their communities, develop health promotion plans and improve access to services for rural people.

‘The aim of this review is to make the services delivered as effective and efficient as possible to that people living in rural Canterbury get the maximum benefit from health dollars. We want to talk with rural communities about the best way to solve problems and to look at positive actions that will improve services or improve access to services.’

The intention is to complete the project by April/May 2005 and to have an options plan supported by rural communities that defines rural health services to be funded by the CDHB.

Note:

The following people are on the advisory group:
Kath Adams (rural primary health, Rural Canterbury PHO, Waimakariri District Council), Graeme Abbott (Hurunui Kaikoura PHO and Hanmer Springs area), John Chaffey (Hurunui Kaikoura PHO and Rotheram area), Sonya Chapman (Rural Public Health Nurse, Kaikoura area, Noel Marceau and Te Pora Ehau (CDHB Rural Mental Health team), Consumers, Rural Women NZ, Consumers, Banks Peninsula, Kent Youard (Home care/support providers, Access Homehealth Ltd), Julie Barlass (Ashburton Health Committee, Ashburton District Council), Murray Cameron (Mental Health Education & Resource Centre: NGO Providers rural mental health), Carole Kerr (CDHB Services Manager, Older Persons Health), Suzanne Salton (Rangiora Hospital, Rural Maternity Services), Tracey Reason (Nurse Maude District Nursing & Home Support), Lynley Cook (Rural public health, Community & Public Health), Phil Schroeder (rural primary health, Partnership Health PHO), Tracey Potiki (Manawhenua, rural primary health, Rural Canterbury PHO), rural residential care providers.

Ends.

Vivienne Allan
Communications Manager
021-314-796