Latest news with #GoreHealth
Otago Daily Times
09-07-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Petition on display as minister arrives
A petition calling for the health system to be fixed has arrived in Gore. The Buller Declaration is a petition started in September last year following the closure of the Buller regional hospital on the West Coast. The petition states healthcare is in a state of crisis and requires intervention by the government as well as the allocation of more resources for staffing issues. It also states the rural, Māori and poorer populations are being further victimised by this crisis, and the government must meet its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi. Already the petition has received thousands of signatures, with more to come as it sits in the foyer of Gore Health until the end of the month. Gore Health chief executive Karl Metzler said there was a tremendous amount of pressure being put on hospitals, especially in the South, due to a medical downturn. "General practices are like the canary in the coal mine. When they're not running or resourced well, you see the flow-on effect in EDs [emergency departments]. "Our little rural ED has gone from 6000 visits in 2021/22, to a 45% increase to over 10,000 visits this financial year. This is not sustainable," he said. Waiting lists are only growing longer, Mr Metzler said, it was becoming nearly impossible to access specialists in Southland. Mr Metzler said in a region with such strong economic drive there needed to be some reciprocity for the health sector down South. "We are a major food basket for this country and I think we're really getting short changed on the healthcare front, despite the tax dollars we contribute." Mr Metzler was hoping to raise awareness of the issue and also the petition. He was optimistic it would get a lot of support from the community. • Yesterday, after The Ensign 's deadline, Gore Health was due to host Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey. Earlier in the week, Mr Metzler said the meeting would also also be a great chance to promote what a rural hospital could be. "Gore has a lot to showcase and celebrate as a community-owned, integrated health facility. It's quite unique and I think we should be proud. "But it's also an opportunity to highlight some of the rural inequity of being a trust-owned hospital." Mr Metzler said as a trust-owned hospital, funding from Health New Zealand was a drop in the bucket compared to other facilities.
Otago Daily Times
06-07-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Health petition arrives, minister's visit looms
"General practices are like the canary in the coal mine. When they're not running or resourced well, you see the flow-on effect in EDs" — Karl Metzler. Photo: Linda Robertson Gore Health will be hosting quite a pairing this week, a petition calling the state of healthcare an emergency and the associate health minister. The Buller Declaration is a petition started in September last year following the closure of the Buller regional hospital on the West Coast. The petition states healthcare is in a state of crisis and requires intervention by the government as well as the allocation of more resources for staffing issues. It also states the rural, Māori and poorer populations are being further victimised by this crisis, and the government must meet its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi. Already the petition has received thousands of signatures, with more to come as it sits in the foyer of Gore Health until the end of the month. Gore Health chief executive Karl Metzler said there was a tremendous amount of pressure being put on hospitals, especially down South, due to a medical downturn. "General practices are like the canary in the coal mine. When they're not running or resourced well, you see the flow-on effect in EDs [emergency departments]. "Our little rural ED has gone from 6000 visits in 2021/22, to a 45% increase to over 10,000 visits this financial year. This is not sustainable," he said. Waiting lists are only growing longer, Mr Metzler said, it was becoming nearly impossible to access specialists in Southland. Mr Metzler said in a region with such strong economic drive there needed to be some reciprocity for the health sector down South. "We are a major food basket for this country and I think we're really getting short changed on the healthcare front, despite the tax dollars we contribute." Mr Metzler was hoping to raise awareness of the issue and also the petition. He was optimistic it would get a lot of support from the community. Tomorrow, Gore Health will be hosting Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey, who is responsible for mental and rural health. Mr Metzler said although he will be discussing issues with the minister, it would also be a great chance to promote what a rural hospital can be. "Gore has a lot to showcase and celebrate as a community-owned, integrated health facility. It's quite unique and I think we should be proud. "But it's also an opportunity to highlight some of the rural inequity of being a trust-owned hospital." Mr Metzler said as a trust-owned hospital, funding from Health New Zealand was a drop in the bucket compared to other facilities.
Otago Daily Times
01-07-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
'Thank you Gore': Neighbours' lifesaving advice
A Chinese family says they were lucky to have landed in Gore, after getting encouragement from their neighbours to head to hospital, thereby averting a life-threatening crisis. Married couple Eleanor Liu and Zach Zhu moved from Guangzhou, a city in China, to Gore last year to work at a local oesteopathy clinic. Mr Zhu, who practises traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, was walking home one evening when his neighbours Brendon Humphries and Stefanie Mayer noticed he was a bit pale. Continuing into the night, and even cooking dinner, Mr Zhu again felt strange with a tightness in his chest and a shortness of breath, but did not think much of it. Ms Mayer said after being told by her partner about Mr Zhu's condition, she checked in with her neighbours on Whatsapp, and encouraged a checkup. "Zach was walking past the house, and he was holding his chest and was struggling to breath, [Brendon] said you're not looking good. "My background is actually as a nurse in Europe, so I said yeah, you'd better go to A&E. I was very persistent to take him in and get checked out." After being kept overnight in Gore Hospital, Mr Zhu Liu was transferred to Invercargill for further testing, where an ECG showed irregularities. Dunedin was the next stop, where Mr Zhu underwent an angioplasty and had a stent inserted into his heart. Despite worries about traversing the medical system in a foreign country, the couple said they were very impressed with the service they received. "I can speak some English but nothing about hospitals, specifics. We were very nervous, but [Gore Health staff] were so kind, warm, and helpful," Ms Liu said. "The other thing was, when he was [discharged from Dunedin Hospital], they sent a Chinese translator to make sure he understood everything." It was a close call, but Ms Liu said it was the neighbour's reaching out which made the world of difference. "We were really lucky. Without the reminder from our neighbour, we might have ignored it." Now Mr Zhu is recovering at home and the messages and goodwill from the community are pouring in, which Ms Liu said was an incredible feeling. "Our boss [Mike McLeod] has experienced everything with us. We have no siblings, or family here, but he supported us as family. "His patients are sending messages and emails, it makes us feel not lonely, it's so important." Health scare aside, the family said they have come away with a better appreciation of their new home. "It became a real turning point for us as new migrants. Even when you don't know anyone, you're not alone for long. People check in, step up, look out for you. "Thank you Gore. You might be small, but you've got a mighty heart," she said.
Otago Daily Times
01-07-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Community shows heart to arrivals
Gore couple Stefanie Mayer and Brendon Humphries (left) encouraged, their neighbours Zach Liu and his wife Eleanor to seek hospital care when they saw Zach looking pale. The advice led to the timely diagnosis and treatment of a serious heart condition. PHOTO: SUPPLIED/ELEANOR LIU A Chinese family says they were lucky to have landed in Gore, after getting encouragement from their neighbours to head to hospital, thereby averting a life-threatening crisis. Eleanor and Zach Liu moved from Guangzhou, a city in China, to Gore last year to work at a local oesteopathy clinic. Mr Liu, who practises traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, was walking home one evening when his neighbours, Brendon Humphries and Stefanie Mayer, noticed he was a bit pale. Continuing into the night, and even cooking dinner, Mr Liu again felt strange with a tightness in his chest and a shortness of breath, but did not think much of it. Ms Mayer said after being told by her partner about Mr Liu's condition, she checked in with her neighbours on Whatsapp, and encouraged a checkup. "Zach was walking past the house, and he was holding his chest and was struggling to breath, [Brendon] said you're not looking good. "My background is actually as a nurse in Europe, so I said yeah, you'd better go to A&E. I was very persistent to take him in and get checked out," he said. After being kept overnight in Gore Hospital, Mr Liu was transferred to Invercargill for further testing, where an ECG showed irregularities. Dunedin was the next stop, where Mr Liu underwent an angioplasty and had a stent inserted into his heart. Despite worries about traversing the medical system in a foreign country, Mrs Liu and her husband were very impressed with the service they received. "I can speak some English but nothing about hospitals, specifics. We were very nervous, but [Gore Health staff] were so kind, warm, and helpful. "The other thing was, when he was [discharged from Dunedin Hospital], they sent a Chinese translator to make sure he understood everything." It was a close call, but Mrs Liu said it was the neighbour's reaching out which made the world of difference. "We were really lucky. Without the reminder from our neighbour, we might have ignored it," she said. Now Mr Liu is recovering at home, but the messages and goodwill from the community are pouring in, which Mrs Liu said is an incredible feeling. "Our boss [Mike McLeod] has experienced everything with us. "We have no siblings, or family here, but he supported us as family. "His patients are sending messages and emails, it makes us feel not lonely, it's so important," she said. Health scare aside, Mrs Liu's family said they have come away with a better appreciation of their new home. "It became a real turning point for us as new migrants. "Even when you don't know anyone, you're not alone for long. People check in, step up, look out for you. "Thank you Gore. You might be small, but you've got a mighty heart," she said.
Otago Daily Times
19-05-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
After-hours boost details awaited
The devil will be in the details for regional health centres around the South following the announcement of an increase in government funding for after-hours services. The government on Sunday announced more than $164 million over four years would be spent to expand urgent and after-hours healthcare services across the country. Health Minister Simeon Brown said the initiative would mean 98% of New Zealanders would be able to receive in-person urgent care within one hour's drive of their homes. It would result in a new urgent and after-hours service in Dunedin and other services would be offered in other parts of the South. A document outlining changes said the Invercargill after-hours service would next year expand to also provide daytime services. Improved services would also be rolled out across rural and remote communities in places such as Balclutha and Stewart Island. Clutha Health First chief executive Gary Reed said the Balclutha facility welcomed the announcement, although details remained scant at this early stage. "Any new monies are warmly received in these financially constrained times. We are waiting for further information from the ministry with respect to how and when the monies will be allocated, as well as what the ministry's expectations are with regards to it," Mr Reed said. The Invercargill after-hours clinic closed in March last year as it struggled to get doctors but reopened within a few days. WellSouth Primary Health Network chief executive Andrew Swanson-Dobbs said he was looking forward to receiving more details about the after-hours healthcare package and what it would mean for Invercargill. "This news paves a way for a more sustainable service in Dunedin as well as the Invercargill after-hours service," he said. "We all know the pressure on health practitioners and other staff to support after hours, with clinicians often working day jobs as well as after hours to sustain the service. "It's a good result and now we need to get on and plan the work." Up to 30 rural and remote South Island services will be improved, alongside a further seven provincial and urban services in 2027. This includes places such as Haast and Gore. Gore Health chief executive Karl Meltzer said he was glad to hear of the increase in funding but, like everything in health, "the devil is in the details." He said potentially it was exciting, and it could help alleviate urgent-care issues. "But we do not know what it is going to be. I have been making a few calls to Wellington but have not had any calls back," he said. Gore Health had a round-the-clock emergency department which allowed Gore GPs to be able to go to bed by 9pm, he said. That sort of coverage was great for a population of 20,000. He said the interesting thing would be whether the money was tagged to the Gore Health emergency department. HealthCentral Alexandra general manager Jenaya Smith said HealthCentral began lobbying for adequate and equitable after-hours and urgent-care funding prior to opening its urgent-care centre in July last year. "We are currently providing an extremely well-utilised walk-in service for both residents of Central Otago and visitors to the area and are open from 8am to 6pm, seven days a week," he said. She was hopeful any funding boost would benefit patients accessing urgent-care/after-hours service but had not yet seen any information. Central Otago Health Services Ltd was contracted to provide urgent GP services between 6pm-8am for HealthCentral-enrolled patients. Comparatively small numbers of its patients accessed this service, she said. Central Otago Health Services Ltd could not be contacted. Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher welcomed the news Oamaru would have its after-hours services improved. "The after-hours emergency department has always been a critical service provided by Oamaru Hospital, so it is great to see that Health NZ is making further improvements to support our wider Waitaki community. A significant proportion of our population will benefit and, in a time when government funding is under huge pressure, it's awesome to hear that this service will be improved." — APL
