Auckland set to lose two hospitals

Press, 18 May 1989, Page 6

Auckland set to lose two hospitals

PA Auckland Two hospitals will close and 1300 jobs will be lost under a new health blueprint announced for Auckland region yesterday.

The restructuring of several services was also disclosed by the Auckland Area Health Board commissioner, Mr Harold Titter. The commissioner was appointed two months ago by the Minister of Health, Ms Clark, to tackle the board’s $46 million budget deficit. Carrington and St Helens Hospitals will close within a year. Under the plan, Green Lane Hospital will lose its general medical and surgical services. Its emergency department will also close. The city’s geriatric population can no longer turn to public hospitals for long-term care. That service becomes wholly the responsibility of the private sector. Mr Titter said there would be inconvenience, “but I believe very significant benefits will come through.” Unions and staff

thought otherwise. On learning of the Titter proposals, the Auckland Combined Health Employees’ Committee announced it did not endorse the commissioner’s measures for achieving it. The committee was opposed to the closing of any hospital service, it said.

Staff, still bound by an edict not to discuss board policy with the news media and the threat of instant dismissal if they flouted it, were less vocal.

However, an air of resignation and despondency was evident at institutions affected by the plans.

Meanwhile, the Nurses’ Society claims that trimming the health budget will mean the loss of 200 surgical beds in the next 12 months.

It predicts the result will be 4000 fewer operations.

Patients awaiting nonurgent surgery will face extended delays as 5000 names are added to surgical schedules, the society claims. The director of the' society, Mr David Wills, says cuts imposed by Mr Titter represent a 10 per cent reduction in services across the board.

“We regard it as extremely damaging for the city’s health services. All the wards and services facing cutbacks, without exception, are efficient and are necessary — by any measure,” Mr Wills said.

“For example, St Helens figures show it is highly productive. The board’s estimates of savings here are highly questionable,” he said. “The extra 3000 births at National Women’s each year could not be handled with existing resources or with changes suggested by Mr Titter,” he said.