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PM says no doctor for Dargaville Hospital cardiac arrest 'challenging'

July 29, 2024
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon with Finance Minister Nicola Willis.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says it's "incredibly challenging" there was no doctor at Dargaville Hospital when a patient went into cardiac arrest last week.

He made the comments at his post-Cabinet press conference this afternoon.

Whangārei Hospital emergency department doctor Gary Payinda told 1News it meant a "nervous, worried, concerned nurse" was left alone to manage the cardiac arrest.

The nurse had to "rely on a video link" to a doctor 40km away, he said.

"That's not the care that New Zealanders expect."

Te Whatu Ora confirmed the patient died, but said it was not due to staffing levels at Dargaville Hospital.

Today, asked whether the situation was acceptable, Luxon said it was "incredibly challenging".

"I know there's lots of other pressures in the health care system as well, so I'm not admitting, I'm not saying that the system is perfect by any stretch but what I am saying to you is that we understand that and we are working incredibly hard to make sure that ... we put more staffing into our healthcare system, we have clear targets about what is actually expected from the system ... and we make sure we continue to grow our workforce.

"I'm not going to comment on a specific matter around Dargaville Hospital, that's an issue for the [Health] Minister and Health New Zealand to comment on."

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said Luxon's response to the situation was "absolutely appalling".

"The reality is we have got to make sure we're fully staffing our health system. That means going out there and recruiting more people but it also means making sure that we're funding our hospitals so they're fully staffed."

Labour leader Chris Hipkins with finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds.

Hipkins said it was "incredibly challenging" to staff in the system "if you're not funding it properly".

Health Minister Dr Shane Reti told TVNZ's Breakfast he had worked in Dargaville and it was "always hard" to recruit in "a rural environment".

"We'll look at how we can improve and enhance the healthcare to our rural communities. If we look at what we already have already, we have a rural hospital sustainability project ... that's underway."

He also said that, until vacancies were filled, online consultations through Telehealth were available.

Dr Payinda told 1News he was not averse to Telehealth having a role in the healthcare system.

"But I am disgusted by the idea that you would replace an actual doctor at Dargaville Hospital caring for that wide and rural community with a video link to a for-profit Telehealth company.

"That is wrong on so many levels."

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