Tangimoana residents fume over nurse cuts

Tangimoana residents are fighting cutbacks to the town's nursing hours.

Clinic hours have been cut from 20 to eight hours, while opening days dropped from six to two a week, following a Primary Health Organisation (PHO) review.

PHO manager Nicky Hart told 50 residents at a community meeting yesterday that the service would be extended to Rongotea. The budget will remain the same, but 18 clinical hours will be split between the Rongotea and Tangimoana clinics.

Tangimoana residents are arguing for a greater share.

Manawatu Community Advisory Group member Beth Smith said reduced hours put the community's health at risk. "We're not happy at all."

She requested the clinic's nurse be reinstated, and the clinic operate 20 hours a week. However, she said the PHO could not justify spending 10 per cent of regional funding on 300 Tangimoana residents, when 100,000 people were registered region-wide.

"The [health] minister will be putting a microscope on every dollar we spend."

Ms Hart said a clinic handover ensured patients were cared for.

There was no risk to patients, and it was "not emergency services".

Transport services and a rural nurse are available.

However, Tangimoana residents remain outraged at the PHO's handling of the contract review.

Locals and nurse Gail Hart were given one-day's notice of the clinic's temporary closure a fortnight ago.

Murray Hastie, who helped set up the clinic, described the PHO's actions as disgraceful.

"It's absolutely abysmal PR ... the way they treated the nurse when they closed the clinic," Mr Hastie said.

"If the PHO don't reinstate the nurse they're buying into a large argument with the community."

Himatangi Beach Trust employed the nurse. Chairman Brian Rosvell said her contract was terminated when the PHO took over the clinic.

Manawatu Mayor Ian McKelvie, who attended the meeting, said the PHO and Himatangi Trust had handled the review badly.

Tangimoana had a unique need for health services due to its large size, remoteness and high proportion of low-income residents, he said.

Tangimoana representatives are attending a PHO board meeting on Monday to discuss their concerns.

A final decision on the clinic's fate is due in four weeks. In the meantime, the Tangimoana clinic will open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 2pm, from March 24.

- © Fairfax NZ News