Eating unit split 'bad for patients'

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Splitting Christchurch's highly regarded eating disorders unit between two hospitals will leave patients worse off, says its departing head.

Dr Geoff Buckett, who has headed the unit for six years, is leaving for Australia, angry at Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) management and what he called the unravelling of the world-class service for people suffering from disorders such as anorexia.

The Princess Margaret Hospital unit has eight beds for medical admissions and patients entering its healthy weight programme. All new admissions to the unit have been suspended since March 8. Medical admissions will now be sent to Christchurch Hospital's general medical ward. The weight-recovery programme is temporarily closed to new admissions.

Buckett said patients would be worse off because Christchurch Hospital did not have the expertise to treat patients with eating disorders.

Medical admissions should involve more than just feeding people until they were medically stable, he said.

Education and family involvement were also needed.

"They should leave hospital medically safe but also prepared to continue with treatment. That can't and won't happen in Christchurch Hospital," he said.

"The model here has been extremely successful and very popular among patients and staff. It's the model I support and believe in."

Buckett said health board management had failed to consult him and other clinicians on decisions affecting the unit.

He also disagreed with a plan to put adolescents with eating disorders into their own service.

"I feel ineffective and not consulted, so I'm choosing to depart," he said. "It's an anguished decision.

"I'm very passionate about my work here and I have been criticised for that by senior management.

"That's why I'm going to Sydney – so I can continue to be a passionate clinician."

CDHB planning and funding general manager Carolyn Gullery said Buckett's departure meant the service had to change.

His expertise as a GP and psychiatrist meant he was difficult to replace, she said. A psychiatrist would now work with patients at Christchurch Hospital.

"This is not a funding issue, but needing to organise ourselves around a change in skill mix," she said.

Patients would receive the same level of treatment while the service was being reviewed, Gullery said.

"What we would be hoping to end up with is a much better integrated-care model; a wider range of options that are more responsive to patients."

Gullery said Buckett's comments were disappointing, but the board would not comment about its relationship with one of its employees.

Otago School of Medicine Dean and former consultant psychiatrist at the eating disorders unit Professor Peter Joyce said a unit review was overdue.

"We look forward to the review and to a new appointment," he said.

Whether the unit could take medical admissions depended on the expertise of the psychiatrist. As eating disorders was a small field, finding someone could be difficult.

- © Fairfax NZ News