No heart appeal yet

Press, 28 August 1980, Page 4

No heart appeal yet

No further action will be taken on a public appeal for funds to set up open heart surgery in Christchurch until discussions have been held with the Minister of Health (Mr Gair) and the North Canterbury Hospital Board. This was confirmed yestertay by the secretary of the Christchurch Cardiac Comparisons, Mr N. W. Colombus. The appeal was t n e Cardiac Companions’ idea. Mr Colombus said a meeting of the group last week had empowered his

committee to take whatever action it thought fit in regard to any proposed appeal. “At this stage we are talking about implementing the report made to the North Canterbury Hospital Board by the Auckland heart surgeon, Mr A. Kerr, in 1978. This recommended that heart surgery could be done here using existing equipment and staff with the addition of more staff and equipment.” He emphasised that there was “no question”

of seeking public money to fund a heart unit of the type turned down earlier this year by the Government for Princess Margaret Hospital. . The chairman of the North Canterbury Hospital Board (Mr T. C. Grigg) said yesterday that the policy of the board was that the proposed heart unit for Princess Margaret Hospital, which would cost more than $1 million a year to run, was still an over-riding priority, but it was not possible without the full support of the Government.