Cancer clinic return good news for patients

Eastern Bay of Plenty cancer patients will no longer have to make the long trip to Waikato Hospital for some treatments.

The Bay of Plenty District Health Board says that an oncology clinic will now operate at Whakatane Hospital, with an oncologist on duty one day a month.

Previously, cancer patients needing regular follow-up outpatient appointments with medical oncology and radiation oncology specialists had to travel to Waikato or Tauranga Hospitals.

Now four specialist consultants and up to three registrars will travel on a monthly basis from their base at Waikato Hospital to provide a range of medical services in Whakatane.

Numbers of patients seen will vary month by month, but 130 have been booked in to be seen this month.

Ambulatory care and support services manager Kerrie Freeman said staff of the hospital were looking forward to the return of the clinical services.

"The Whakatane Hospital oncology staff are looking forward to working more closely with the cancer specialists, enabling better access to these services for patients in the Eastern Bay of Plenty," said Ms Freeman.

She said the number would vary from month to month, but the fact that more than 100 people had been booked in to the inaugural clinic was an indication of the demand for this essential service.

Patients needing radiotherapy would continue to receive this through Waikato Hospital.

There are only six regional oncology centres in New Zealand, which provide medical oncology, radiation oncology, and haematology services.

- NZPA