After missing its deadline, Te Whatu Ora Southern has now submitted its response to a damning report on its cancer care services.
It's been three months this week 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.
After an investigation, the HDC found the DHB breached its consumer code with delays to non-surgical cancer services.
Te Whatu Ora Southern was meant to report back on its progress by end of Wednesday, but the HDC's office told 1News on Wednesday evening, "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," it said.
After receiving the late response on Thursday afternoon, the HDC's office said: "As anticipated, the responses will require our full consideration and we anticipate it may take us some time to review them."
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 that it was, in fact, due on Wednesday, apologising for being "incorrect".
After enquiries from 1News about the delay, the health agency sent out a written statement late this evening and confirmed the response was sent in today.
Te Waipounamu regional director for hospital and specialist services, Dan Pallister-Coward, said: "Te Whatu Ora Southern accepts the Health and Disability Commissioner's decision in relation to the Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology and Haematology Oncology Services [...]
"We are fully committed to implementing the Commissioner's recommendations and have taken immediate steps to address the highlighted concerns."
"[We have] achieved the immediate recommendations and we are continuing to work on the recommendations that are longer term." he said.
"Southern provided the required three-month update to the HDC on 13 July 2023."
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.
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