Southland Hospital prescribes the best of British medicine

Patients emerging from a coma in Southland Hospital can be forgiven for thinking they may have woken up in the United Kingdom.

Seventeen new junior doctors, all from the UK, have arrived to work at the hospital during the past two weeks, boosting staff levels and saving on expensive locums.

The Invercargill hospital has been on an overseas recruitment campaign in recent times in an effort to attract permanent staff and reduce the reliance on temporary locums.

Southern District Health Board interim chief medical officer Murray Fosbender said there were many benefits for the hospital and the community from the latest intake.

"Southland Hospital, like other hospitals throughout the country, has been trying to change the culture of recruiting short-term locums to our staff for years and the arrival of these new junior doctors will contribute greatly to a stable work force at Southland Hospital.

"They will have the opportunity to get to know our facilities, patients and colleagues well, which can only contribute to greater continuity of care for our patients and excellent learning opportunities for staff."

The new recruits have varying reasons for coming to Southland, but for Simon Page skiing was a big drawcard.

He said the skifields were so accessible here, compared with the North Island, and he has already been up the mountain twice since arriving a week ago.

Susan Harries, who comes from Swansea, chose the South Island because it was "more beautiful" and said she had been surprised at how friendly people were.

"Everyone is so happy to chat and help out."

Chief operating officer Lexie O'Shea said the new doctors were employed on contracts ranging from six months to one year but they hoped some would be tempted to stay on.

She said it was normal for junior doctors to be employed on short-term contracts because they were seeking a variety of experience.

The board had put a lot of effort into providing educational opportunities for the new recruits and practical help, especially for those who had a family to settle in the area as well.

- © Fairfax NZ News

Newest First

Oldest First