GPs say specialist shortages at Whanganui Hospital adding to strain

A shortage of some specialists at Whanganui Hospital is putting extra pressure on GPs already under strain, local doctors say. Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora has written to Whanganui GPs asking them to consider “all options of care” before referring those who need it to specialist orthopaedic care. A statement from Health New Zealand said there were “capacity constraints” in orthopaedics but it was currently recruiting an additional surgeon.

“We also don’t have a full complement of permanent sonographers so we are partially reliant on locums. We are currently seeing all accepted referrals while we recruit for more permanent staff.” Whanganui Regional Health Network (WRHN) chief executive Judith MacDonald said when a specialist workforce was stretched the threshold for referral could go up.



.