Submissions closed 5pm Tuesday 17 June 2014.
Summary
The Ministry is consulting on potential change of district health board for the Chatham Islands to improve the access to health services on mainland New Zealand through direct transport links to and from the Chatham Islands.
Currently, Hawke’s Bay District Health Board (DHB) is responsible for providing health care services in Wharekauri, Rēkohu, Chatham Islands.
Chatham Islanders travel to Hastings to access most outpatient clinics, specialist services and elective surgery. In April 2012, direct flights between Napier and the Islands ceased. The principal transport links between the Islands and the New Zealand mainland are now by air to Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland.
Chatham Islanders have whānau links with mainland New Zealand, and these links are stronger in some areas than others. Being able to be close to whānau on mainland New Zealand helps minimise the stress and disruption of hospital treatments for patients and their whānau/family.
This consultation document outlines the current health services, on the Chatham Islands and mainland New Zealand via Hawke’s Bay DHB, and provides options for change that better align with direct transport links. The document includes advantages and disadvantages in terms of transport, health service characteristics and whānau support of the three DHBs potentially available to administer health care services to the Chatham Islands.