Latest fromWaikato DHB

Hospital ready for its largest patients
The increasing number of extremely obese patients has forced Waikato Hospital to open special rooms.

Child alcohol abuse up nearly 20pc
Children as young as nine are among hundreds under 16 being treated by specialist clinics for alcoholics and drug addicts in greater Auckland. One-hundred and ninety were treated last year, and that's the tip of the iceberg.

Digger used to lift bus off trapped driver
A contractor who used his digger to lift a bus off its trapped driver, and an off-duty nurse may have saved the man's life yesterday.

Medical letters found in the rubbish
Residents of the Claudelands area of Hamilton East are being urged to contact Waikato Hospital if they find any medical referral letters in their rubbish.

DHBs intimidating staff, says union
Vulnerable health workers are being suspended without pay to intimidate them into ending their industrial action, the lab workers' union says.

Virus-hit Waikato DHB restarts computers
Waikato DHB is re-starting computers in key locations after staff worked all-night battling a computer virus which crippled the organisation

DHB board member who questioned another's integrity suspended
Dr Suresh Vatsyayann was asked to withdraw comments made in an email and apologise to the Waikato board and management, but refused.

Computer virus cripples Waikato DHB
Waikato DHB is trying to keep as many people out of hospitals as possible while it tries to fix damage caused by the Conficka computer worm.

Falls major cause of hospital injuries
Hospital falls caused more than a quarter of the major "adverse events" listed by DHBs in their latest report on potentially preventable healthcare harm.

Funding cuts threaten drug clinic
One of only two Maori-based residential centres for youth faces closure by April.