Cerebral palsy therapist sought

Press, 9 May 1985, Page 2

Cerebral palsy therapist sought

The visiting cerebral palsy therapy service run by the Health Department in Christchurch will come under the control of the Canterbury Hospital Board.

This service has been the last to be run by the department; transfer of services to hospital boards began in 1971.

A Government grant of $23,000 in 1985-86 has been approved for the full year as part of the transfer to help the Hospital Board run the service for the region. Mrs Margaret Austin (Lab., Yaldhurst) said the sole remaining therapist employed by the department had retired recently. This made the time opportune for the post to be brought in line with the rest of New Zealand.

While the Canterbury Hospital Board would have to meet the costs of the service, a Government grant of $12,500 would buy a vehicle to help the service. The board’s chief executive, Mr Ron Parker, said yesterday that negotiations for the therapist’s post had been going on for some time.

“We are very pleased at the outcome of the negotiations,” he said. The job would be advertised almost immediately. The board already had one permanent visiting physiotherapist working in he community. This second position would be advertised or a “visiting physiotherapist with a special interest n children.”

The South Canterbury Hospital Board had asked the board to consider establishing a regional visiting cerebral palsy service. This was discussed at yesterday’s meeting of the health services committee. Mr Parker said the board would now be in a position to discuss the request with the South Canterbury Hospital Board.