Te Whatu Ora Southern's failed to meet its deadline to respond to a damning report on its cancer care services.
It's been three months since the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) revealed the former Southern District Health Board failed in its duty of care to patients between 2016 and 2022.
The damning report found the DHB breached its consumer code with delays to non-surgical cancer services.
Te Whatu Ora Southern continues to face significant specialist workforce shortages. (Source: 1News)
The health agency was expected to report back to the HDC on it's progress by the end of Wednesday.
But late this afternoon the Commissioner's office told 1News, "we have not yet received the response from Te Whatu Ora, and we are following this up."
"We made a number of recommendations in our report which address significant issues," HDC said.
Te Whatu Ora Southern said in a statement to media earlier this week that its response was due on Tuesday, but later corrected itself, advising it was in fact due on Wednesday, apologising for being "incorrect".
The Commissioner's investigation was launched after concerns were raised by cancer care advocate, Melissa Vining, in 2021.
Her husband, Blair Vining, was diagnosed with cancer and was told he had six to eight weeks to live but that the wait time to see an oncologist was 12 weeks.
The Commissioner said in April that "cancer patients were harmed" by Te Whatu Ora Southern's failures to recognise and respond to the clinical risk associated with its lack of capacity.
A series of recommendations were made.
Among the suggestions to reduce risk was a patient navigator service to keep those on waiting lists better informed.
Earlier this week the health authority told 1News it "has achieved the immediate recommendations and we are continuing to work on the recommendations that are more long term".
The authority said it is working to address workforce challenges with Radiation Oncologists, and is committed to providing the service in Dunedin.
"Our patients remain our priority and we are committed to delivering timely services to our community."
It claims 90% of patients have now started treatment in the expected timeframes despite service constraints and is working to hire two more locum Radio Oncologists and recruiting internationally.
The Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner said "the responses will require our fulsome consideration and we anticipate it may take us some time to review them".
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