Roving rural surgical unit

A range of publicly funded day surgery work will be offered to rural and provincial patients by a national mobile surgical unit.

Mobile Medical Technology, which operates in a bus, is consulting district health boards on the type of services it can provide.

These are expected to include day surgical procedures like grommets, vasectomies, breast biopsies, hernia, cataract, and varicose vein operations, as well as some dental work.

Health Minister Annette King said the unit would add to services available at hospitals such as Kaitaia.

It was possible that ear, nose and throat surgery would be available to people in the country's northernmost settlement at Te Hapua, near Cape Reinga. Children there usually go to Whangarei for treatment.

Mobile Medical Technology discussed its plans with Northland health authorities in 1999 when the mobile surgery concept was first mooted.

A national mobile surgery bus contract, for about $25 million over the next five years, has been approved.

The bus is expected to be operating in six months, calling into Northland about once every five weeks. depending on patient demand.