By TONY GEE
The Northland District Health Board meets in Whangarei tomorrow to consider the future of 24-hour, seven-day-a-week acute surgery at Kaitaia Hospital and options for other hospital-based clinical and health services.
Ministry of Health funding for locum doctors needed at Kaitaia to provide round the clock surgical cover ends on February 28, as does an associated health board commitment to keep the cover going.
Ending 24-hour, seven-day acute surgery in the Far North has also been recommended in a report by a four-member independent review team, which outlined its findings to the board and ministry in December.
The review team said acute surgery after 6pm was not necessary at Kaitaia for clinical and cost reasons.
The community-based Kaitaia Hospital Action Group has already said it is determined not to lose 24-hour, seven-day surgery.
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Surgery cutback looms
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