CDHB board votes for MoU with Charity Hospital

CDHB board members vote for MoU with Charity Hospital

Canterbury District Health Board members decided at their monthly meeting today to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust.

CCHT was established to provide free elective day surgery and medical outpatient clinics for some people who would otherwise not be able to readily access this healthcare through the public health system, ACC or their own finances.

The objective of the MoU is to set out the relationship between CDHB and CCHT to meet their mutual goal of enhancing Canterbury people’s healthcare.

“One of the most important aspects of the MoU is the agreement that the two organisations continue to consult and communicate so that at all times there is a mutually supportive, co-operative and transparent relationship,” CDHB chair Alister James said.

Deputy chairman Dr Randall Allardyce said he “welcomed the close association and co-operation that the MoU represented between the two organisations.”

The roles and responsibilities of each organisation are set out in the MoU document including CCHT providing its facilities in the event of a natural disaster, for major trauma triage and if there is a threat of any significant epidemic.

In return the CDHB would agree to provide support and encouragement for its employees to volunteer their services to CCHT, provided their obligations to CDHB were not compromised. CDHB would also ensure that general practitioners who have patients referred back to them for their care, were informed that these patients may be able to access CCHT healthcare services as one of their healthcare options.

The MoU will take effect immediately after both parties have signed. A date is yet to be agreed.

ENDS

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