The Southern District Health Board is once again in the spotlight over it's colonoscopy services which a new report has deemed as insufficient.
Concerns were first raised in 2016, that people were missing out on early bowel cancer diagnosis and now a new report echoes those same concerns nearly four years on.
Christchurch surgeon, Phil Bagshaw, says the second report should warrant action from SDHB.
"There's another report saying there's a problem and something has to be done. I just hope for everybody's sake they do actually do something constructive this time," he told 1 NEWS.
The DHB has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the country, yet one of the lowest colonoscopy rates.
Experts say the DHB's decision to now commission a second report is simply playing for time and putting lives at risk. (Source: Other)
"It can't be left any longer, too many people have been waiting on the side lines here suffering and at the end of the day it's about stopping patients suffering - nothing should get in the way of that," says Mr Bagshaw.
He's frustrated the DHB is responding to the latest report with an internal review.
But CEO Chris Fleming says the DHB has already made a number of changes and welcome the recommendations to improve patient care but acknowledges there is still work to be done.
"This has been a long standing thing, it's been painful and there's a lot of different views and expectations out there and we're keen to make sure we get the right balance," says Mr Fleming.
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