Cheviot health centre case to be fought

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34111, 25 March 1976, Page 18

Cheviot health centre case to be fought

Cheviot residents and the North Canterbury Hospital Board will continue to press for a health centre at Cheviot, despite the Health Department’s refusal to authorise the conversion of the hospital into a health centre.

The chairman of the institutions committee of the board (Mrs L. C. Gardiner) told a meeting of the board yesterday that she was not happy with the department’s decision and that the committee was going to press on and conduct a survey of

the likely cost of a health centre.

“Why should Wellington know better than we do how to deal with the needs of a district in our area?” asked Mrs Gardiner.

“We had the same kind of trouble with Kaikoura, and we ended up with the same plan that we submitted in the beginning. “I think it is very wrong for an idea to be dismissed on the grounds of cost alone,” said Mrs Gardiner. The Cheviot County Council was aiso concerned by the decision and had sent a letter to the Minister of Health (Mr Gill) and the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Maclntyre).

“They have stated in their letter that a health centre would provide an important service which was lacking in the district,” said Mrs Gardiner.

The reasons for departmental refusal were very vague, and did little to encourage young married couples to settle in the area, said Mrs Gardiner.

The department had said !that medical coverage was uncertain, but this was the very reason why the board wanted to establish a health centre. The board also had land to sell, and that would help financially.

A health centre would enable the local doctor to have his home to himself, it would be to the community’s advantage, and it would be an incentive for doctors to go to the area. The health centre could include other para-medical people, a dentist and perhaps even a social worker.

Mr W. L. F. Utley said that a building would not necessarily keep a doctor in the area, and all emergency accident treatment could be provided by helicopter. However, a majority of the board members felt that a health centre was needed urgently, and that they would continue to press for it.