After-hours service news ‘pleasing'
Dunedin could get a comprehensive 24/7 after-hours medical service by the end of the year.
Health New Zealand (HNZ) is asking for expressions of interest to ensure "98% of New Zealanders can access urgent care within one hour's drive of their home".
Urgent after-hours care services have come under increasing pressure in the city due to lack of resources — recently Dunedin Urgent Doctors & Accident Centre (Dudac) reduced its operating hours from 8am-10pm to 8am-9pm.
Dudac general manager Dr Adam O'Byrne said yesterday's news was "very pleasing".
HNZ had already flagged it was interested in improving after-hours care in Dunedin, he said.
Dudac would apply for the tender to help run these services, he said.
"Obviously we're prepared for it because Health New Zealand have been talking to all stakeholders ... We're encouraged by that and we'll be putting our best foot forward, that's for sure."
Southern primary healthcare network WellSouth chief executive Andrew Swanson-Dobbs said yesterday was a "great day" because of the news.
"[Health Minister Simeon] Brown made indications that he would like to see some regions have 24/7, and Dunedin is one of those regions that needs 24/7 care.
Andrew Swanson-Dobbs. PHOTO: LINDA ROBERTSON
"We've been involved with the local guild on maintaining services in Dunedin, but the necessity to actually respond to this tender has given us an opportunity to figure out how best to deliver that care," he said.
It was good the expectation had been set, Mr Swanson-Dobbs said.
"The issue will be making sure that there is sufficient workforce and sufficient coin to be able to recompense primary care staff to be able to work these hours."
In May, Mr Brown announced Dunedin would be a pilot for a new comprehensive model of after-hours care, and the service would start "late 2025".
HNZ's tender document said it was expected these services would prevent health conditions from worsening after hours to the point where admission to hospital was required.
"Health NZ encourages respondents to consider collaborative ways of working with partners to ensure high-quality, seamless care for users."
Submissions on the tender close at the end of the week, and the preferred party will be publicly announced at the end of this month.
HNZ expected the successful provider to work with primary and community care providers including general practices, aged care and emergency departments, the tender document said.
The provider would also work with HNZ and the ACC "to move to more consistent funding models including fees, subsidies and patient co-payments".
The contract would run from December 2025 to July 2027.
matthew.littlewood@odt.co.nz
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