Paid car parking, night service district nursing, and rehabilitation review decisions confirmed by Board

22/07/2010 | Review decisions confirmed by Board

MidCentral District Health Board has agreed to introduce paid car parking at Palmerston North Hospital, starting on 1 February 2011.

It also supported recommendations from two other major projects in its Financial Recovery Programme – district nursing, and inpatient rehabilitation services for under 65-year-olds.

In agreeing to introduce paid car parking for visitors, patients and staff, it becomes the eighth district health board in the country to do so.

A feasibility review, recommended introducing minimal fees for patients, visitors and staff, having limited exemptions, and putting in another 228 spaces. This was confirmed by the board yesterday.

Patients and visitors will receive the first 30 minutes free; pay $2 for between 30 minutes and an hour; rising to $7 for between 3- 5 hours; and $8 for five hours and longer.
Staff would pay $3 a day for casual parking or $10 a week for unreserved parks; $25 for a 10-park tickets; and $15 a week for reserved parking.

Those patients/visitors/public to be exempt from fees include: parents of seriously ill children, bicycle/motorcycle riders, blood donors, ambulances, fire service, police; supply vehicles delivering goods within 30 minutes, volunteers, rural health shuttles, and people entering and leaving the site within 30 minutes.

Exemptions for staff (including contractors) are: staff called back from offsite for an emergency, and bicycle/motorcycle riders.

With district nursing, the main issue was around continuing a night service – the only one in New Zealand– and looking at alternatives for the seven, or so, patient callouts a night.

The review looked at the partnership that already exists between MidCentral Health and the Arohanui Hospice through its shared clients, and they have been working together to get the most effective solution.

The board yesterday also agreed to the introduction of district nursing-led clinics being held weekly in Palmerston North, three days a week in Dannevirke, twice a week in Pahiatua, and at Otaki by 1 October to avoid lots of staff travel, being able to see more patients, and allowing patients with appointments time to better plan their days.

The board agreed to combine six Palmerston North district nursing service ‘runs’ into five; that staff levels on statutory days be reduced to weekend staffing; and that from 1 September 2010 the provision of wound care supplies be for District Nursing Service patients only, and that existing clients be supported in moving to new arrangements by the end of the financial year (30 June 2011).

It agreed that the reconfiguration of district nursing services provide savings of $400,000.

The board unanimously adopted recommendations of the inpatient rehabilitation services for under 65 year olds in STAR Centre where MidCentral Health would align itself to the contracted eight-bed arrangement (six contracted by the MOH, and two to ACC). The service has been successfully operating at this level of service for a number of weeks already because of staffing levels, in particular.

Constructive discussions continue to be held with the Ministry of Health which are likely to further improve the services’ financial position.

Murray Georgel
Chief Executive Officer

Contact: Communications Unit (06) 350-8945