MidCentral Health continues to provide Quality Service

30/05/2008 | RMO Shortages

MidCentral Health has quickly moved to reassure its patients that its hospital remains safe, and that they will continue to receive quality care.

The reassurance follows statements from the New Zealand Resident Doctors Association that Palmerston North resident doctor numbers are reaching critical levels and have introduced a ‘collapsed roster’ system in some areas to handle patient workloads.

MidCentral Health Medical Director Kenneth Clark while acknowledging a shortage of junior doctors in some areas, said the hospital was making strenuous efforts to ensure the safety of its patients in difficult circumstances.

Dr Clark said: “Yes, we have got a significant shortfall in RMOs at present – we accept that, but we have been ensuring that shortfall is covered in other ways – by service reduction, and other medical staff picking up tasks.

“We are currently well staffed with more senior resident doctors and overall our number of resident doctors is highly likely to increase in a few months, but we have put plans in place now to ensure patient safety. Adjusted rosters are just one part of a bigger plan for safe service delivery.

“Hospitals every day around the country will be altering their workloads around staff availability and workloads going through.

“Our resident doctors are of excellent quality and are working very hard as are our senior medical officers, and it isn’t true or fair to say they are not providing good services.

“I would like to thank the entire medical staff for its work through a difficult time, and acknowledge the tremendous support from all other health professionals at MidCentral Health.”

CONTACT: Communications Unit: (06) 350-8945