Dannevirke Community Hospital pauses new patient admissions

Health New Zealand has implemented a temporary halt on new patient admissions at Dannevirke Community Hospital. This 30-day pause is intended to allow the agency to provide additional clinical workforce support following several resignations.

The decision follows an audit of the hospital conducted this week and concerns from Tararua District doctors regarding safety risks when referring patients. Geoff Gwyn, the regional director for planning, funding and outcomes in the central region, stated that the priority is "ensuring people continue to have access to safe healthcare services while THG works on a plan to stabilise its workforce and support the long-term delivery of services in Dannevirke".

Current patients will continue to receive care and maternity services will operate as normal. The hospital is managed by Tararua Health Group, which also runs the Pahiatua Medical Centre where staff have reported delays and unsafe workloads.

Malcolm Mulholland of Patient Voice Aotearoa expressed confusion over the situation, stating, "It effectively becomes a patient-less hospital, I've never heard of one of those". He noted that general practitioners have avoided referring patients due to clinically unsafe practices.

Compiled from reports by Otago Daily Times, The Post and NZ Herald.