Thank you for using Neighbourly
From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Four-day waiting times for Reefton residents seeking a medical appointment is "pretty good," the final meeting of the West Coast District Health Board was told last week.
The town of 900 is currently without a GP, and the DHB has been … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Four-day waiting times for Reefton residents seeking a medical appointment is "pretty good," the final meeting of the West Coast District Health Board was told last week.
The town of 900 is currently without a GP, and the DHB has been "challenged" to ensure consistent locum cover for the next few months, general manager Philip Wheble said.
The board had been working on various options to provide cover on three out of five days at Reefton, either through in-person appointments or via telehealth consultations.
Wheble said in an update on Thursday it had seven out of nine sessions a day, staffed through a combination of nurse practitioners or by a locum.
"It's not ideal but something we want to ensure primary (care) access," he said.
Average waiting times in Reefton of four days was "pretty good" given the seasonal challenge of winter.
The pending arrival by August of a new permanent GP for South Westland would free up some locum cover to assist Reefton and for Westport "to provide consistency of care".
Board chairman Rick Barker said he understood the waiting time in Reefton to have a consultation was on average four days and asked what was the average waiting time for other West Coast centres.
Wheble replied it was longer.
Barker asked if that meant Reefton was "not out of synch" with long waiting times for a GP appointment elsewhere: "In actual fact, for people to get access in Reefton they are slightly better off than in Grey or Canterbury?"
Wheble confirmed that was the case.
As partners of the Elemental festival, Stuff Travel is giving away 2 amazing packages! For each you'll win 2 nights of luxury stay at Fable Auckland with a welcome dinner and daily breakfasts. You'll also get tickets to either the Takurua - Nafanua, The War Goddess or the Auckland Fried … View moreAs partners of the Elemental festival, Stuff Travel is giving away 2 amazing packages! For each you'll win 2 nights of luxury stay at Fable Auckland with a welcome dinner and daily breakfasts. You'll also get tickets to either the Takurua - Nafanua, The War Goddess or the Auckland Fried Chicken Festival.
Flights included for those out of Auckland.
Dear neighbours,
Every month, NZ Gardener runs a series of tested reader recipes using a seasonal crop. We are now on the hunt for tamarillo recipes, so send your best ones to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz before July 8, 2022.
Every published recipe wins a copy of our special edition Homegrown … View moreDear neighbours,
Every month, NZ Gardener runs a series of tested reader recipes using a seasonal crop. We are now on the hunt for tamarillo recipes, so send your best ones to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz before July 8, 2022.
Every published recipe wins a copy of our special edition Homegrown Recipes.
Are you overdue a getaway? You could win a 13-day Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer South Island Rail & Coach tour by participating in Neighbourly’s 8th birthday celebration.
To enter the competition, just tell us what you love about your neighbourhood. It could be your favourite spot, a … View moreAre you overdue a getaway? You could win a 13-day Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer South Island Rail & Coach tour by participating in Neighbourly’s 8th birthday celebration.
To enter the competition, just tell us what you love about your neighbourhood. It could be your favourite spot, a beautiful view, or something that makes you smile. You could be in for a once-in-a-lifetime getaway!
Dear neighbours,
You have just a few more days to send your entries for our Houseplant Hero competition. You could win some great prizes and of course, more houseplanst!
Subscribe to The Press for three months and get 20% off. Enjoy all the benefits that come with being a subscriber, including convenient home delivery, free access to past and present digital editions of the The Press and monthly rewards and exclusive competitions.
Subscribe at mags4gifts.co.nz.
Are you interested in working with infants, toddlers, or young children?
Our Level 3 Certificate in Early Childhood will help you to develop a strong foundational grounding in the essential knowledge involved in the education and care of infants, toddlers, and young children.
This programme … View moreAre you interested in working with infants, toddlers, or young children?
Our Level 3 Certificate in Early Childhood will help you to develop a strong foundational grounding in the essential knowledge involved in the education and care of infants, toddlers, and young children.
This programme is taught in a practical learning environment and includes placements within early childhood centres, providing a real hands-on experience to prepare you for a career in early childhood.
We are enrolling now for July! Visit our website to enrol or find out more.
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon
Two Westport-based West Coast Regional Council representatives have expressed "impatience" at ratepayer criticism of the council's role in protecting the town from future flooding events.
Both Buller representatives have instead paid … View moreBy local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon
Two Westport-based West Coast Regional Council representatives have expressed "impatience" at ratepayer criticism of the council's role in protecting the town from future flooding events.
Both Buller representatives have instead paid tribute to the behind the scenes scramble by the regional council to seal the business case for the proposed $26 million Westport flood scheme.
At this week's council meeting, Cr Laura Coll-McLaughlin queried the state of the tender documentation for urgent retrospective maintenance on old flood works on the Buller River upstream of Westport at Organs Island, and near O'Conor Home.
It followed ratepayer approaches indicating the high level of interest in the town, she said.
The council has already approved that urgent work which if not done leaves Westport vulnerable to another big flood event.
Coll-McLaughlin said she and fellow Westport Rating District Committee member, regional council chairman Allan Birchfield, had been outspoken "about how urgent that work is" aside from the proposed flood scheme proper.
"I also think that the amount of work our staff are dealing with for a council of our size and our budget is absolutely phenomenal.
"I'm getting a little bit impatient with criticisms we get back. I think we maybe don't blow our trumpets sufficiently but quite frankly the work (staff) are doing, I am profoundly grateful for."
Chief executive Heather Mabin said the small council's staff were under "an incredible amount of pressure".
In particular, the Westport scheme technical advisory group for the business case along with council's in-house staff had faced extraordinary pressure.
Some of the constraint would be taken up under the new staff secondment arrangement via the Greater Wellington Regional Council, in place for the several of the Government's Infrastructure Reference Group (shovel ready) and other projects the council had, Mabin said.
Cr John Hill said he too was receiving a lot of local feedback "and I get quite annoyed when I hear the word 'procrastination' being used".
"I'd like to get the message out to our ratepayers, the last thing we can be accused of is procrastination."
Coll-McLaughlin said she heard from ratepayers that they liked efficiency and for the council not to be overstaffed.
However, it was doing its best to respond urgently within limited resources, "when we have business cases to prepare and urgent work to meet and then flooding events in February and heavy rain now".
The council has to meet the proposed flood scheme business case deadline set by the Government, by the end of this month.
"I'm getting impatient with comments like 'oh Covid, they're using it as an excuse' when we can see behind the scenes that is far from the case -- and I just want that noted to staff," Coll-McLaughlin said.
"I cannot believe what [staff] have managed to achieve to timeframes that we have had put around us."
What to do for a warm home when the frost of winter and the cost of living are both on the rise? Click on over or come see us at The Warehouse.
You don’t need to spend big to create a healthy home, and you can start with good curtains. Open them during the day to let the warmth in, then close … View moreWhat to do for a warm home when the frost of winter and the cost of living are both on the rise? Click on over or come see us at The Warehouse.
You don’t need to spend big to create a healthy home, and you can start with good curtains. Open them during the day to let the warmth in, then close them at night to keep cold air out. A low-cost heater will keep your air warm at night while you snuggle under blankets and flannelette sheets.
Keep your whānau cosy this winter with us.
Looking for a new place to get stuff done? One Agency Real Estate Specialists and the Loan Market now operate a co-working office space situated in the heart of Hokitika on Revell Street. Our aim is to share a space where likeminded creative individuals can work alongside and provide our community… View moreLooking for a new place to get stuff done? One Agency Real Estate Specialists and the Loan Market now operate a co-working office space situated in the heart of Hokitika on Revell Street. Our aim is to share a space where likeminded creative individuals can work alongside and provide our community with a range of complementary services.
One Agency Real Estate Specialists and Loan Market welcome expressions of interest from other vibrant and dynamic compatible business owners. If you are a provider of a desk-based professional service, (maybe currently working from home) and would like to increase your exposure and social interactions get in touch for a confidential chat with Sharon 021 765 971 or Mike 027 249 5561.
From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Te Nikau Hospital in Greymouth is being tested to capacity as Covid-19 continues to rage through the region.
West Coast District Health Board operations manager Philip Wheble said those presenting at the hospital had "quite complex" needs.… View moreFrom local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Te Nikau Hospital in Greymouth is being tested to capacity as Covid-19 continues to rage through the region.
West Coast District Health Board operations manager Philip Wheble said those presenting at the hospital had "quite complex" needs.
"We're having some challenges around our inpatient activity, around capacity at Te Nikau," he told the board's advisory committee meeting.
Te Nikau was generally about 91% full at the midnight capacity measurement time, meaning there was not a lot of room to make more beds available for incoming patients overnight.
The 91% capacity figure essentially meant there were three spare beds at peak time, Wheble said.
Rest homes were also under pressure.
"We do have some issues with access to aged residential care. That is being resolved now."
Covid-19 had made for "a challenging time... [but] the teams have done a remarkable job".
Mr Wheble noted the GP shortage in Reefton, which would be without a doctor throughout winter. An "enormous effort" was planned to find a locum.
Currently the DHB was using GP staff from its other practices to conduct a once a week clinic in Reefton, combined with nurse and telehealth appointments. Telehealth waiting times for Reefton patients needing to consult a doctor were currently four days. Reefton is 80 kilometres away from the nearest GP surgeries at both Greymouth and Westport.
Wheble said the reopening of Ziman House rest home at the Reefton Hospital had been postponed until August, "at this stage".
Advisory group chairman Peter Neame asked if the board had done anything yet about instituting some regional training given the national nursing shortage impacting on the board's capacity to operate facilities, such as at Reefton.
"If you don't have some sort of regional training, you are going to be seriously short," Neame said.
Wheble said work was beginning to bring back some West Coast-based training for enrolled nurses and aged residential care support staff "with a capped training programme".
However, general registered nurse training was more of a problem as it was mainly polytechnic or university-based.
From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Additional orthopaedic operations for West Coast residents have been carried out in private hospitals in Christchurch in the past month, as Greymouth hospital attempts to reduce waiting times exacerbated by Covid-19.
An update to the West Coast … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Additional orthopaedic operations for West Coast residents have been carried out in private hospitals in Christchurch in the past month, as Greymouth hospital attempts to reduce waiting times exacerbated by Covid-19.
An update to the West Coast District Health Board advisory group said additional Ministry of Health funding had enabled additional hip and knee joint surgeries privately during May and into June, to reduce some of the longer waiting times at Te Nikau Hospital in Greymouth, particularly in orthopaedics.
Additional plastic surgery bookings had also been secured with the extra funding.
The waiting list for plastic surgery first specialist assessments had reduced from 68 patients in February to 14 in May.
The plastics surgical waiting list had benefited as well with 39 patients currently waiting, 26 of whom had surgery booked in June.
West Coast DHB general manager Philip Wheble said 35 major joint operations had been done off the West Coast.
While the extra plastic surgeries would significantly reduce the long wait time, for orthopaedics there would still be people on the waiting list over the time limit.
"The impact of the Covid-19 lockdown and distancing restrictions in August and September 2021, and again from February 2022 onward have influenced our results," Wheble said in an update.
"General surgery, paediatric surgery and urology are on year to date delivery targets, but there have been fewer elective cases able to be delivered in the disciplines of cardiothoracic, ear nose and throat, gynaecology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, plastics and vascular surgery."
The West Coast DHB had 165 patients waiting over 120 days for their first outpatient specialist assessment at the end of March -- 107 orthopaedic cases, along with plastics (22), urology (17), rheumatology (8), cardiology (6), respiratory (4) and general medicine (1).
Telehealth had been used wherever possible for specialist assessments.
There were 101 Coast patients waiting over 120 days from their first surgical assessment until surgical treatment, at the end of March, spread across orthopeadics (75), urology (10), plastics (8), dental surgery (5), opathalmology (2), and paediatric surgery (1).
Wanted Wanted Wanted:
Gold • Coins • Watches • Banknotes • Antiques • Paintings • Collectables
We are at multiple venues each day throughout Christchurch Region.
Monday 20 June to Sunday 25 June. Please check the dates and times carefully on our website … View moreWanted Wanted Wanted:
Gold • Coins • Watches • Banknotes • Antiques • Paintings • Collectables
We are at multiple venues each day throughout Christchurch Region.
Monday 20 June to Sunday 25 June. Please check the dates and times carefully on our website https://www.goldco.co.nz/.
The market for antiques, collectables, scrap gold, vintage watches, rare coins and art has been buoyant over the past 2 years. Prices have never been higher and demand never stronger. Have you considered selling your collection? or simply wish to cash in unwanted items? Whether a single item of broken jewellery or a large collection of Art or Antiques.
See us at a venue near you or call Hamish on 0800 105 228 or 021 461 727.
Most elder abuse is hidden in plain sight. Abusers are often someone close – a family member, a caregiver, someone trusted. If you’re concerned about how someone is being treated, it’s OK to get help. #ItsOKtoHelp #WEAAD
This June help the New Zealand Trees That Count programme! Simply visit your local Resene ColorShop, choose your favourite green testpots and for each one you buy Resene will donate $1 to the New Zealand Trees That Count programme.
Offer applies to all Resene green 60mL testpots (excludes … View moreThis June help the New Zealand Trees That Count programme! Simply visit your local Resene ColorShop, choose your favourite green testpots and for each one you buy Resene will donate $1 to the New Zealand Trees That Count programme.
Offer applies to all Resene green 60mL testpots (excludes metallic and wood stains) purchased by retail customers between 1-30 June 2022 at Resene owned ColorShops.
Trees That Count runs the country’s only marketplace which provides a place for anyone to fund or gift native trees. For more information on Trees That Count, visit www.treesthatcount.co.nz...
© Neighbourly 2024
Loading…
