Kaitaia could offer joint replacement

Kaitaia Hospital could offer joint replacement so patients do not have to travel 2 hours for the surgery.

Joint replacement surgery at Kaitaia Hospital would make the world of difference to patients in the area, according to Age Concern.

Northland District Health Board is exploring the feasibility of doing primary joint replacement surgery at Kaitaia, so patients do not have to travel down to Whangarei.

The possibility was raised in the DHB's July board meeting agenda. The process is clinically led and involves consultation with the different disciplines, chief executive Dr Nick Chamberlain said in his July report.

"Assuming all goes to plan, it is hoped that the first joint replacement operations will be performed by October 2018."

The DHB was unable to give further comments at this stage.

But Age Concern Kaitaia and District manager Julie Moebus said having joint replacements performed in Kaitaia would be really good, as long as support services like physiotherapy were also offered here.

Many patients have to stay in Whangarei for weeks on end after hip or knee surgery, to get physiotherapy and to be fit enough to travel home.

The journey to Whangarei was hard on both patients and their family, Ms Moebus said.

"A lot of people don't realise how far it is north of Whangarei that we have towns.

"People think everything stops at Whangarei but it's a two-and-a-half hour drive to Whangarei from here [Kaitaia] and if you're sore and have got bad joints that's a long journey," she said.

"Any services that we can get up here would be good."