Community Updates

Wednesday, 26 October 2011

Business case and Feedback on Buller Integrated Family Health Centre

West Coast DHB is happy to release the report "Building a Better Buller Health System: Buller Integrated Family Health Centre Development Plan & Indicative / Strategic Business Case" together with copies of the written submissions received from the public, staff and unions regarding the proposed Buller Integrated Family Health Centre.

At their meeting on Friday October 14 the DHB Board adopted the following recommendations concerning the Buller Integrated Family Health Centre:

endorse the Buller IFHC model of care;
approve changes in information systems, organisation development, and systems and processes required to achieve the new model of care;
agree that a single site solution is the preferred option for the Buller;
approve in principle the development of a global budget for Buller health services under a service alliance framework;
approve in principle the aggregation of aged residential care services in Buller under a single provider;
note that the process for identifying the preferred provider of ARC services will include:
1. Discussions between the Chair and CE and all the O'Conor Trust trustees;
2. Consultation with staff and unions as required;
note the facility redevelopment options and the financial implications set out in the business case;
note that the capital cost estimates are provisional pending detailed design, but that they include contingency allowances;
authorise management to enter into negotiations with possible facility development partners;
note that the required processes with the National Capital Committee and Treasury will be put in place;
note that management will report back to the December board meeting with an update on a proposed site and proposed greenfields / brownfields solution.

The business case has some sections removed for commercial sensitivity and names have been removed from the submitted feedback to protect the privacy of individual respondents.

Copies of the business case and feedback received will also be sent to reception at Buller Health, reception at Buller Health Medical Centre, the Westport library, Buller REAP, Buller District Council and the Westport iSite Visitor & Information Centre.

The DHB apologises for any typographic errors that may have occurred when handwritten submissions were typed out.

Monday, 19 September 2011

On Monday September 19 in Westport, Chief Executive David Meates presented updates on the Buller Integrated Family Health Centre to staff and the community. He spoke of the work that has been undertaken to refine the models of care that are so integral to the development. With the help of a scenario, Dr Paul Cooper, Clinical Leader of Buller Health was able to demonstrate to the audience the beneficial changes for patients that will result.

Four possible configurations of facilities were presented that would support the new models of care at the Buller Hospital site and/or the O'Conor Home site.

Further feedback (see the Contact Us section further down this page) is requested by Friday September 30. This will inform the final recommendation regarding the type of facility that will be presented to the West Coast DHB Board meeting on October 14.

Please see the 'Community Update - 19th September 2011' presentation regarding community health services in the Buller area.

19 September 2011 Community Update Presentation
[PDF format, 1.32 MB]

Future Health Services in Buller

Buller residents can have their say to help shape community health services.

At a meeting last night in Westport, West Coast DHB CE David Meates asked for people to provide input into the DHB's plan to join together health services in the district.

David Meates says, "We want to hear what the Buller community thinks about an integrated approach to health care. That may be putting all the services people need together in one place or splitting services between different sites – we need input to help our decision making.

"Essentially the current way we provide services in Buller is not working as well as it could be – the times have changed but our facilities and work practices haven't. People experience long waiting times for appointments and some of the facilities are outdated. There is also a lack of continuity and consistency of care.

"Once we collate the feedback we will report back to the community about feedback on different options."

Please see the 5 May 2011 community meeting presentation regarding community health services in the Buller area.