It has recently been revealed that Paediatric Oncology services within the CCDHB are being further downgraded, following the loss of yet another paediatric oncologist.
As a mother of a young child with leukaemia, recently diagnosed, I would like to ask the currently elected members of CCDHB who are standing again for election, why has the Board allowed the service to be downgraded and what has been done to address the fact that 10 paediatric oncologists have left the CCDHB over the past 10 years?
To all candidates, what is planned in terms of ongoing recruitment and retention of such specialists, and therefore reinstating and securing Paediatric Oncology as a tertiary service, and in turn protecting the safety of our children within the nation's Capital city?
Katherine
Candidate Answers
Candidate
Answer
I wish your child a speedy recovery and God bless.
Thanks for your question, Katherine.
I\'m passionate about resisting further service cuts at Capital & Coast and trying to reverse those that have already occurred. However, I realise that issues around tertiary services which are only provided at a few specialistic centres across the country, like paediatric oncology, can be a bit more complicated. And I\'m also aware that the previous board gave careful and lengthy consideration to trying to achieving the best arrangement they could for our region.
But this new arrangement will require some vulnerable children and their families to travel at a difficult and stressful time. My commitment to you is that, if elected, I will seek a briefing from DHB management for the new members of the Board on the details of the arrangement, and look into whether (particular if the government can be persuaded to relent on its present under-funding) it is possible to make changes to reduce the need for Capital & Coast residents to travel for paediatric oncology services.
If elected, I\'d also be happy to meet with you and other concerned parents to get a better understanding of this issue.
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Dear Katherine,
Thank you for your question.
As one who has had cancer, I do understand some of the emotional and other challenges ahead for you as you seek and have treatment for your child and the additional challenges that relate to having a child needing treatment.
I do appreciate that you are in a very challenging situation and I hope that the changes made, which were made in close consultation with the then parents will be helpful for you and will give you some certainty.
In response to your question, I quote from the report by staff to the Board tomorrow which answers your question,
REPORT TO THE BOARD MEETING 6 OCTOBER 2010
“ Paediatric Oncology
A new shared care agreement between Capital & Coast and Canterbury District Health Boards has been signed and ensures some of our most vulnerable patients and their families have certainty around their care and will keep many services in Wellington.
After several years of difficulty retaining Paediatric Oncologists in Wellington, the agreement was reached after months of hard work and dedication by the clinical teams and management in both Wellington and Christchurch.
The clinical expertise across both sites has led to the development of an agreement which means that most of the treatment for the majority of patients can be delivered in Wellington, reducing the need for travel.
To ensure patients receive top level care where they need to, there will continue to be a small number who may on occasion continue to travel to Christchurch for some diagnostic and treatment services.
A Paediatric Oncologist from Canterbury will be on site in Wellington full time until Christmas and will hold regular clinics after that. Meanwhile, Wellington will continue to have its own full time Paediatrician who has a specialist interest in Paediatric Oncology.”
Finally I do appreciate that this is not entirely what you (or we for that matter) would want to see. A number of us on the Board fought this issue three years ago, and I believe that the stand we took then has contributed to a better outcome than might have been the case.
Please do not hesitate to contact me by email-heleneritchie@clear.net.nz or phone. It is difficult to communicate indirectly through this site.
My website is http://heleneritchie.org.nz and my other contact details are there.
Kind regards
Helene Ritchie
Health Board Member Capital and Coast District Health Board.
Wellington City Councillor
