Report on hospital names trapped in the slow lane

By MARTIN JOHNSTON health reporter

Health chiefs are withholding a report on the naming of Starship and other Auckland hospitals, for fear of public harassment.

The Auckland District Health Board moved to delete the names Starship, National Women's Hospital and Green Lane Hospital, in a change linked to the combining of inpatient services at the new Auckland City Hospital, which started in October.

But the board backed down on renaming Starship as Auckland City Hospital Children's Services after the Herald revealed the move, sparking an outcry and warnings from Prime Minister Helen Clark and Health Minister Annette King.

While the naming issue is not officially settled, the children's hospital is now called Starship Children's Health - which won acceptance from leading doctors - on the board's websites.

National Women's was to become Auckland City Hospital Women's Services. Senior staff now understand that a name like National Women's Health at Auckland City Hospital - of which they approve - may be used once the hospital's inpatient services shift to the new hospital, probably next June.

But the name Green Lane Hospital has gone from its inpatient services, which have already shifted into the new hospital. It has been replaced by its department names, like cardiac services and respiratory services.

The name, however, is expected to be retained in a Green Lane Institute, for research, training and education.

Board members were subjected to intense public criticism over their attempt to delete the Starship name, particularly the chairman, Wayne Brown, who said threats were made against him.

In May, board members directed the management to undertake more consultation on the naming issue. They wanted a report in June recommending names.

But the report has not yet appeared at a public board meeting. The Herald sought it under the Official Information Act in September.

More than two months later, after the Herald asked the Office of the Ombudsmen to intervene, board communications manager Megan Richards replied.

She said the organisation had decided to withhold the information because a decision on Auckland City Hospital service names was imminent and to allow it to be made free of improper pressure or harassment.

A leaflet supplied by assistant ombudsman Richard Fisher says state agencies are conditionally entitled to withhold information on the grounds cited by Ms Richards.

New names

* Starship children's hospital's new, unofficial name, Starship Children's Health, is expected to be rubber-stamped.

* The National Women's Hospital may become called National Women's Health at Auckland City Hospital.

* Green Lane Hospital's name has gone, replaced by cardiac services and other departmental names, but may resurface in a research institute .