Chronic Staff Shortages At Palmerston North Hospital: Services Could Be Paused

Patient Voice Aotearoa (PVA) is organising a public show of support for staff at Palmerston North Hospital by holding a “hands around the hospital” event on Sunday March 30. PVA has been approached by hospital staff, since holding a public meeting regarding surveillance colonoscopies being paused by Midcentral, about the chronic staffing shortages at Palmerston North Hospital. In particular, PVA has learnt that there are chronic staff shortages in the areas of psychiatry, neurology, endoscopy, rheumatology, radiology, and Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT).

States chair of PVA, Malcolm Mulholland “Given the number of chronic staff shortages affecting departments within the hospital, and much like what is happening with surveillance colonoscopies, I have been warned that certain services are under threat of being paused. I have also been informed that mental health services both in the community and the wards are reliant on locum psychiatrists. As a result, only patients with acute needs are being seen in the short space of time locum psychiatrists are at Palmerston North Hospital.

“These concerns are extremely worrying for our community of Midcentral that caters for 180,000 people from the communities of Manawatū, Tararua, Horowhenua and Ōtaki. My heart goes out to the staff of Palmerston North Hospital who are under extreme duress to deliver health services to our people. We strongly encourage the Government to find solutions urgently, so that patients don’t miss out on services that a hospital in New Zealand should be delivering.

“For those who want to learn more about what is happening to healthcare in Manawatū, please attend a public meeting at The Globe, Palmerston North, on Tuesday 11 March from 7 to 8 pm.

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