Merger won't harm services: Hospital

Laboratory services will continue in the community and at all four of the region's hospitals, said Graham Dyer, chief executive of Wairarapa and Hutt Valley District Health Boards.

Wairarapa Hospital management says there will be no reduction of its laboratory service if it merges it with other hospitals in the Wellington region.

Services will continue in the community and at all four of the region's hospitals, said Graham Dyer, chief executive of Wairarapa and Hutt Valley District Health Boards.

He said patient safety and quality of services were paramount.

Responding to medical workers' unions concerns that a shared, privatised lab service would cause delays in diagnoses and treatment, Mr Dyer said services were already partially joined up across the region.

"Wairarapa DHB has had an integrated hospital and community lab service run by a private provider for a number of years, and there is one hospital lab service across Hutt Valley and Capital & Coast DHBs.

"Integrating hospital and community laboratory services is not a new concept in New Zealand, nearly half of the DHBs have an integrated laboratory service and no DHB has chosen to bring the service back in-house."

Mr Dyer said the project's objective was to be more efficient and not needlessly repeat tests.

"This would save all three DHBs money which would be reinvested into frontline health services. The project also provides us with an opportunity to upgrade laboratories and equipment in the region."

Wairarapa, Hutt Valley and Capital & Coast DHBs are due to make a decision to either partner with a private company or use a single private laboratory provider next month.