The number of funded hospital beds for the combined catchments of Dunstan and Lakes District hospitals is much lower than other rural communities in New Zealand, according to data analysed by local advocacy group Health Action Wānaka (HAW).

HAW chair Monique Mayze said Health New Zealand figures showed that Dunstan and Lakes District hospitals needed an additional 29 beds between them to achieve parity with other similar rural hospitals based on 2018 resident populations.

“We have 0.71 inpatient beds per 1000 people in the Dunstan and Lakes District hospitals catchments, while 1.2 inpatient beds per 1000 people is the average at other level three rural hospitals across the country,” Monique said.

“The new community-level census data is not yet available but we know that our community is growing rapidly, so this disparity is likely to be even greater.”

Monique pointed out that Dunstan Hospital is 199 km from a large hospital with specialist care (tertiary hospital), making it the second most isolated (level three) rural hospital in the country.

Health Action Wānaka steering committee (from left) Lucy Middendorf, Monique Mayze, Nicky McCarthy, Brigid Loughnan, and Trish Fraser. PHOTO: Supplied

At 183 km from a large hospital, Lakes District Hospital is the third most isolated level three rural hospital in New Zealand.

“While the West Coast is the most isolated in terms of distance to a tertiary hospital, it has a higher bed ratio to compensate,” Monique said. “Similarly, Kaikoura is quite isolated but also has a higher bed ratio, while some rural areas such as Bay of Islands and Hawera have lower bed ratios but are closer to large hospitals.”

“Here in the Upper Clutha, we lose out on both counts with a lower bed ratio and our significant distance from a large specialist hospital.”

Monique said a lack of beds increased the risk of poor health outcomes for people.

“We know that our ambulance service is under pressure because our nearest hospitals do not always have enough beds to take Upper Clutha patients who arrive by ambulance.”

She said this means patients may have to be moved between hospitals and could be at risk of being discharged early because beds are needed.

Lakes District Hospital in Queenstown has a publicly funded Emergency Department, but Monique said with only 17 beds (12 general ward and five maternity), it is “unlikely to be able to meet demand of our community’s rapidly growing population along with the spikes in numbers due to visitors”.

Dunstan Hospital, in Clyde, is also under pressure with its 24 funded beds often full.

“We recognise that funding decisions need to be based on more than just population size, and must be responsive to the particular needs of each community, however, we also believe this lack of funding reflects a larger trend of inequitable distribution of services to our region,” Monique said.