Patients denied elective surgery

Almost 180 Taranaki patients were denied the opportunity for elective surgery last year.

The Taranaki DHB has released figures for those who did not meet the required threshold for publicly-funded non-urgent operations.

In the last financial year, 178 patients were referred to a specialist by their GP but did not meet criteria for elective surgery, clinical services manager Rosemary Clements said yesterday.

The 178 were declined after they had been referred to a hospital specialist when their GPs determined that they might benefit from surgery.

"They are given a care plan with their GP and are asked to contact their GP if their situation changes at all," Ms Clements said.

The numbers denied last year by specialty were: general surgery 3, gynaecology 11, ophthalmology 47, orthopaedics 117.

The Taranaki DHB was this week praised by the Health Minister Tony Ryall for the record number of operations it performed in the last financial year.

In total 4238 elective (non urgent) operations were performed in Taranaki's public hospitals in the 2009-10 year, Mr Ryall said.

However there is now hope for some of those turned away from the public hospitals.

Last year, the Taranaki Community Health Trust was set up to assist those patients who were unable to afford to pay privately for their operation.

Since its inception, the trust has paid for 38 operations for Taranaki people who qualified for funding.

- © Fairfax NZ News