‘A single solitary doctor simply cannot be found’: Ōamaru ED closing for two nights

Due to the nationwide doctors shortage, “a single solitary doctor simply cannot be found anywhere within Te Whatu Ora” to avoid overnight closures over the weekend at Ōamaru Hospital, the district health service chief executive says.

Chief executive for the Waitaki District Health Services Keith Marshall said Ōamaru Hospital Emergency Department would close its doors on both Saturday, August 12, and Sunday, August 13, from 5pm until 8am.

“It is still a somewhat unbelievable situation that a single solitary doctor simply cannot be found anywhere within Te Whatu Ora to avoid the closure of a hospital over a weekend,” Marshall said.

The department would open between 8am and 5pm, but people who needed care during the time the EDwas closed should call the on-call GP, or an ambulance if it was serious, Marshall said.

Local GPs, residential care facilities, and St John Ambulance have been advised of the overnight closures and an extra ambulance and additional crew would be on station both nights, Marshall said.

“We have been working closely alongside Te Whatu Ora for the past few weeks to address this looming doctor shortage, but in the end Te Whatu Ora was unfortunately unable to provide a doctor to alleviate a closure,” he said.

Ward patients would also be assessed and potentially might be relocated to Dunedin Public Hospital, if needed, to ensure their ongoing clinical safety and care, he said.

“While we have tried to minimise the impact and length of closure as best as we are able in the circumstances, we are still left with no option but to close in order to ensure the clinical safety of our patients.”

Marshall said this was a situation that they did not want to find themselves in.

“Equally, with the current nationwide doctor shortages, Te Whatu Ora tell us there is nothing they can do,” Marshall said.