Otago “Angry” Cardiac Unit For Wellington

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30178, 9 July 1963, Page 15

Otago “Angry” Cardiac Unit For Wellington

(New Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN, July 8.

Angry' members of the Otago Hospital Board unanimously agreed to reject the decisions of the Minister of Health (Mr McKay) on the establishment of a second cardiac surgery unit in Wellington. The board will now ask for a judical committee of inquiry.

At a special protest meeting tonight the chairman, Dr. John Fulton, said the decision in favour of Wellington “is against the weight of evidence produced.”

The chief reason given for tiie decision against Dunedin, shortage of population, ignored the ‘’legitimate claims of the South Island and the claims of the medical school for teaching and research.”

After more than an hour’s discussion, the board voted unanimously for the motion of Mr H. L. Gibson. The decision had been described as "tyranny” by one newspaper. "Are we, the representatives of the people of this province, to allow ourselves to be tyrannised?” he said. Irrefutable Case Most board members were not just disappointed, but "angry” because the Otago Hospital Board and University of Otago’s case was “irrefutable,” said Mr Gibson.

It was no good asking for another advisory*committee. "We would have the same old mish-mash all over again.”

The board should ask for an independent inquiry presided over by someone of the status of the Supreme Court The main points argued by Dr. Fulton were:— (1) Cardiac surgery is a young specialty needing continuous research. The finest facilities for this are available at the medical school and the Wellcome Research Institute in Dunedin.

in Dunedin. The figures given, Wellington 188 cases, Dunedin 56 cases, did not include 55 to 60 cases done by the assistant thoracic surgeon in Dunedin, Mr I. Lichter, in South Africa. This lessened the advantage claimed for Wellington.

(5) Mr Borrie, who has had a first-class animal laboratory for 11 years, has gained much greater experience in cardiac surgery by operating on animals than his Wellington colleagues. In addition, he has already successfully carried out a number of by-pass operations with the heartlung machine. "I suggest we should ask permission to operate on our own cases,” Dr. Fulton said.

(2) The proposed unit could function in Dunedin in a little over a year, while it might be three years until a Wellington unit was operative. The cardiac committee in its report to the Minister urged a second unit "as soon as possible.” Population Differences (3) Too much was made in the report of the difference in population. Analysed the figures were: Wellington (including Marlborough and Nelson), 794,000; South Island, 654.000. (4) Too much had also been made of the fact that the two Wellington thoracic surgeons over the last 10 years had done more operative cardiac surgery than Mr John Borrie

Trades Council Support

(N.Z. Press Association) DUNEDIN, July 8

"The Otago Trades Council has offered full support to the Otago Hospital Board and any other organisation interested in taking steps to see thait the Government changes its decision to site the second cardiac unit in Wellington,” the seer stary qf the Trades Council (Mr W. C. McDonnell) siaid today.