Minister welcomes report on West Coast DHB

Associate Health Minister and West Coast-Tasman MP Damien O’Connor today welcomed an independent report looking at issues facing the provision of healthcare on the West Coast.

The Models of Care Discovery report, undertaken by the Law and Economic Consulting Group (LECG), is part of a joint sustainable healthcare project between the Ministry of Health and the West Coast District Health Board.

“As we know, the West Coast is a unique region that faces a complex set of problems that urban areas may not, such as geographical spread, difficulties in recruiting and retaining health professionals, and maintaining access to the range of specialised services,” said Mr O’Connor.

“The West Coast District Health Board needs to look at the best combination of facilities, services and delivery options to develop a sustainable and pragmatic solution to the healthcare issues currently facing the West Coast.”

The report sets out LECG’s views on the options for future models of care on the West Coast: enhancing the status quo, contracting out all secondary medical and surgical services to other DHBs, or developing relationships with other DHBs to provide secondary services on the West Coast.

“While the Board has an obligation to consider all the options and information before it, the third option, in my view, appears to be the most practical and sensible.”

Mr O’Connor said the Labour-led government has already invested a large amount of money to health care in the region including Very Low Cost Access fees with all West Coasters accessing primary health care services at DHB practices paying fees within the lowest quartile in New Zealand.

“The government is committed to ensuring that we are delivering quality health services in rural areas like the West Coast. I am sure this commitment is echoed by the District Health Board and I look forward to a decision and progress to build a sustainable model of healthcare in the West Coast,” said Mr O’Connor.