The Upper Clutha community sent a resounding message to health officials on Wednesday evening (March 20) with a 400-strong turnout of people at a meeting about local health services.

The meeting, organised by the Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board and facilitated by board chair Simon Telfer, featured panel members Dunstan Hospital clinical director Jonathon Wills, Te Whatu Ora Southern chief medical officer David Gow, Aspiring Medical Centre GP Dr Fiona MacLean,Te Whatu Ora Southern group director of operations Hamish Brown, and Hato Hone St John Central Otago area operations manager David Baillie.

“The turnout blew senior health officials in attendance away – they couldn’t stop commenting on it,” Simon told the Wānaka App.

“The purpose of the meeting was to physically show an engaged community – with over 400 people and standing room only in the auditorium we achieved that in spades.”  

Read more: Medical services ‘under strain’ subject of public meeting

Simon put a range of questions to the panel around the themes of urgent and after hours care; accessibility, mental health, and Dunstan Hospital; concluding with quick fire questions gathered from audience members during the evening.

The Lake Wānaka Centre auditorium began filling up by 6.30pm on Wednesday night. PHOTO: Wānaka App

Jonathan Wills said the health situation in Wānaka keeps him up at night; while David Gow said it “weighs heavily on my mind”.

They acknowledged there was no town of a similar size to Wānaka that is as far from a base hospital. Dunedin Hospital is at least a three and a half hour drive from Wānaka.

“I think we need central funding and the powers that be to recognise what has changed in this town,” Hamish said.

“It’s about building services and building a workforce to deliver those services. It’s not about building a big hospital immediately.”

A major challenge (also a national one) was the lack of a workforce, David said.

Signs of progress: Commitments, new developments 

While the meeting was intended to make the community’s concerns and expectations clear to health officials, some tangible commitments were made: Te Whatu Ora Southern group director of operations Hamish Brown committed to put after hours care in place by winter, and said he would try to get Wānaka’s health designation changed from rural to urban, which would open up alternative funding streams.

James Reid, a representative of Wānaka’s Gordon family, also announced plans for the development of a health hub adjacent to the Wānaka Lakes Health Centre.

Read more: Plans unveiled for ‘health hub’

Simon Telfer said panel members were also keen to see a community health lobby group formed “and to start meeting with them and to hold them to account”.

Community members Monique Mayze and Lucy Middendorf, part of a small group of people forming a lobby group advocating for changes to local healthcare provision, said a steady stream of people signed up after the meeting to learn more.

Panel members voiced their concerns and frustrations about current health services, in particular after hours and emergency care. PHOTO: Wānaka App

‘It’s time for decision makers to take our concerns seriously’

Monique said the large crowd was “a strong indication of the depth of concern in the community about this issue”. 

“We really appreciate the willingness of the panel members to share their insights and experiences and it's clear that they share many of the same frustrations as members of our community.

“We believe there has been a lack of political will to make the changes necessary to improve health services provision in our community and to plan for the future. It's time for decision-makers to start listening and taking our concerns seriously. We will be communicating with the many people who shared their contact details with us … and outlining our next steps shortly.”

Some locals, including those working in the health sector, appeared unconvinced by the assurances made on stage.

“The community bears the cost daily of the glacial pace of progress,” a long-time local health provider told the Wānaka App after the meeting.

A retired resident expressed the frustration acknowledged by some panel members: “We need to know [officials] acknowledge [the issues] but we need to know what their plan is, rather than the waffle… It is just so frustrating - they know the population has soared here; what are they damn well doing about it?”

PHOTOS: Wānaka App