Calls for New Trust for Cranford

Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule is promoting the establishment of a separate trust to run palliative care in Hawke's Bay.

This push follows DHB Chief Executive Kevin Snee’s announcement last week that the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board will be reviewing the governance arrangements for Cranford House.

“I cannot sit back and watch what‘s happening here. Cranford is closing its in-house bed unit on May 17 and it’s a disgrace that it has come to this,” Mayor Yule says.

“I am doing what I can to stop the closure but I’m concerned it can’t be avoided. A lack of medical staff is the principal reason for the closure and fixing that in the short-term is a difficult task.

“I’ve had numerous requests to set up a separate trust to solely concentrate on running Cranford, including the outpatient care service. There have even been suggestions an existing trust could be modified to take on Cranford,” Mayor Yule says.

“As I have investigated the issues involved it’s clear to me that a complete new start is needed at the governance level. Presbyterian support has advanced Cranford in some areas but it’s time for a specialist Trust to take over, similar to the trust which runs the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter Service.

“A number of people have come to me over the weekend expressing significant concern about the damage to Cranford’s name in the community and the affect that will have on the great fundraising events that support it. I’m confident that Hawke’s Bay people just want to support and fund Cranford.

“This Trust could work much more closely with the DHB to give the best possible care to our community. It needs to be simple, transparent and clearly understood. I know people will support this,” Mayor Yule says.