‘Otago is being overlooked'
The government's backing of a third medical school at Waikato is yet more evidence it cares little about Dunedin, opponents say.
Health Minister Simeon Brown said yesterday Cabinet had approved $82.85 million in government funding towards the project, with the university chipping in more than $150m.
The numbers differ from National's policy heading into the 2023 election.
Then, it pledged $280m for a third medical school at Waikato University, with the university to raise a further $100m.
The school would also open in 2028, a year later than National had promised, but still with an initial roll of 120 students.
The University of Otago and University of Auckland — which run the country's two existing medical schools — had submitted to the government they could train more medical students for significantly less than the cost of establishing a new medical school.
Megan Pōtiki. PHOTO: ODT FILES
Otago Polytechnic executive director Dr Megan Potiki said she was surprised by the decision, "which even Treasury had described as unaffordable".
"Otago Polytechnic has concerns about the potential impact on clinical placements for our nursing ākonga [students], and on the long-term security of our industry-leading nursing programme."
Dr Potiki's comments come after the government's decision to place Otago Polytechnic in a federation model rather than being fully stand-alone.
"It appears Otago is being overlooked by this government with their recent decisions, and Otago's proud tertiary track record is being undermined."
Otago University, which had been strongly opposed to the idea, yesterday had a mixed response. .
Megan Gibbons. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Pro-vice-chancellor for health sciences Prof Megan Gibbons said the university was disappointed the government did not follow the alternative and more cost-effective option of further increasing the intakes into the country's existing medical schools.
"However, any investment that supports growing and sustaining the health workforce is a step towards strengthening care for our communities — particularly in rural and under-served regions."
Otago was committed to working alongside others in the sector to ensure the best outcomes for the health of all New Zealanders, she said.
Auckland University dean of medical health services Prof Warwick Bagg would not comment on that university's previous opposition to the plans.
Instead, Prof Bagg looked towards the positive.
"Today is a historic day for medical education in New Zealand. The government has made its decision, and the good news is the extra 120 students."
Others were not so sanguine.
Bryce Edwards. PHOTO: ODT FILES
Director of The Integrity Institute Dr Bryce Edwards issued a scathing assessment of the decision that said it had been political rather than one made in the best interests of the health system or the education system.
"It's a stark contrast to have the new Dunedin hospital really restrained in its build and essentially funds cut back, producing a less than optimal new hospital at the same time that $83m is going to be spent elsewhere in the health system that, frankly, very few experts believe is a good spend of money.
"The people of Dunedin and Otago should feel aggrieved."
Taieri MP Ingrid Leary, of Labour, said nothing about the decision had been transparent.
"There's nothing rational about it either.
"Given the cuts to the new Dunedin hospital, the vindictive and appallingly communicated decision last week by Penny Simmonds regarding Otago Polytechnic, and now this decision that effectively kneecaps our medical school, it is clear that Christopher Luxon and his three-headed government don't care one iota about the deep South."
In August last year, Treasury shared the concerns of the existing medical schools saying the plan was unaffordable and that there were other ways to achieve the government's goal of increasing the number of rural GPs.
Green MP Francisco Hernandez said the government had committed to yet another irresponsible, white elephant project.
"The quarter of a billion dollars on just capital costs for a third medical school would have been more responsibly spent on boosting the number of doctors that Aotearoa needs from tried-and-true training facilities at Otago and Auckland."
University of Waikato vice-chancellor Prof Neil Quigley said it was "a landmark moment for New Zealand".
"We will be offering a programme that selects and trains doctors in a fundamentally different way and will complement New Zealand's two existing medical schools."
matthew.littlewood@odt.co.nz
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