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The West Coast District Health Board admits its new telephone arrangement for supervising doctors is not common practice.
A group of Hawkes Bay anaesthetists is supervising Grey Hospital anaesthetists in Greymouth by phone.
This follows the loss of the joint heads of anaesthetics, Judy Forbes and Susan Newton, who left last week after expressing concerns about patient safety.
The board now lacks NZ-registered anaesthetists on-site to supervise the anaesthetists it flies in from Durban, South Africa.
Board chief executive Kevin Hague said it had used telephone supervision before.
"It is not common practice. However, it has occurred here in general surgery and obstetrics and gynaecology in the past."
Asked if the arrangement was safe, he said all supervision arrangements were approved by the Medical Council.
The Hawkes Bay anaesthetists were familiar with Grey Hospital and had worked with a number of the Durban-based specialists, he said.
Dr Forbes was not due to finish her contract until June 27, but Mr Hague said she made it clear she did not want to stay until then.
As a result, the board had to find alternative cover earlier than expected.
It had backed off legal action to force Dr Forbes to stay.
"We did start down a path of legally enforcing the contract, in case this was required to ensure continuity of services, but have not needed to proceed with this as we were able to secure alternative arrangements."
Grey Hospital will, however, have a short-term reduction in non-urgent surgery.
"We do not expect any disruption to 24-hour cover, although if this changes we will let people know," Mr Hague said.
The board usually had two or three anaesthetists at Grey at any one time.
Dr Forbes' complaints centred on the hospital's new booking system. She said it had been moved away from theatre and surgeons, resulting in people being put on the wrong surgery lists for the wrong procedures.
Her concerns have led to an internal inquiry and an investigation by Middlemore Hospital doctor David Galler.
- NZPA
