Locals are being invited to hear from health officials about health service planning at a session in Wānaka next week.

Health NZ Te Whatu Ora (HNZ) says it will share information “about the current and future health needs of Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes, along with an overview of health service planning currently underway”. 

The health service planning review followed months of advocacy by public figures, health advocacy group Health Action Wānaka, and residents for better access to health services in this region.

At a rural health roadshow in Wānaka in July, HNZ staff said they would come back to Wānaka at the end of August with the findings from the clinical review, which needed to be “done and dusted” by December.

At an HNZ information session for stakeholders last month, the agency talked about hospitals, primary care, diagnostics, specialist care, and maternity services, in terms of what will be needed in the future.

Read more: Who is shaping the future of Central Lakes health?

“They also acknowledged that they are looking at factors like road conditions, weather temperatures, and just how easy it is or isn’t - at certain times of year - to get between the different towns,” Central Otago District mayor Tamah Alley told constituents after the meeting.

Tamah said HNZ “reiterated that their clinical services planning will inform the ‘what’ is needed, not necessarily the ‘where’ it’s needed - and the ‘how’ will be determined once we know the need”.

The outcome would be an options paper for minister of health Simeon Brown, “not necessarily a ‘here’s where we’re going to build a hospital’”, she said.

Read more: Health services review in Upper Clutha to focus on needs, not locations.

Next week’s information session is an opportunity for locals to hear directly from officials about progress on the review.

It will be followed by a panel Q&A session with HNZ leaders, and HNZ said locals will have the opportunity to speak informally with health leaders and local government representatives.

The session will be held at the Lake Wānaka Centre on Tuesday November 25 at 1.30pm. Register here.

There will also be an online session on Wednesday November 26 at 5.30pm.

PHOTO: Wānaka App