Councillors have the choice of attending the general public discussion board earlier than Economic, Finance and Community committee conferences.
Photo: Stuff / Anthony Phelps

The well being system is in a “state of chaos” because it undergoes a restructure, considered one of Marlborough’s well being bosses concedes, after asking councillors to champion the necessity for “local stewardship” of well being providers.

Marlborough Primary Health Organisation (PHO) chief govt Beth Tester made the request, alongside the organisation’s chair and former councillor Mark Peters, to the Marlborough District Council’s financial, finance and group committee public discussion board final month.

The discussion board, presently beneath a year-long trial, was launched by committee chair Jamie Arbuckle earlier this yr, and allowed members of the general public to talk for as much as 5 minutes earlier than a gathering.

Tester mentioned the organisation’s main problem was the well being reforms.

Te Whatu Ora meant to axe as much as 1600 well being sector employees beneath a restructure. Last month, 300 fulltime roles in “back-room hospital departments” had been confirmed as the primary wave of redundancies.

It was understood the restructure regarded to delete plenty of govt leaders. Frontline jobs weren’t affected.

More than 270 second-tier leaders had been swept up from separate district well being boards within the well being reforms that passed off in mid-2022, as some leaders had duplicated capabilities when Te Whatu Ora shaped.

“Our Te Whatu Ora colleagues have all been disestablished and don’t know whether they have jobs,” Tester mentioned.

“That will start unfolding, as to who gets what positions, coming forward in the next few months.”

She mentioned it was a “state of chaos”.

“The government plans the future of our health service,” she mentioned.

“It form of appears to be performed slightly bit advert hoc and on the hoof in the meanwhile.

“We are providing some stability in the system. At the moment primary and community care is not being reviewed, but we know it will be in the future, and the future of primary health organisations is questionable.”

Marlborough Primary Health Organisation chief govt Beth Tester at Covid testing at Horton Park in 2020.
Photo: Stuff

Tester mentioned she was there to “really push the fact” they want Marlborough and its core representatives to keep up a “stewardship” over the well being system.

“That’s with our companions and colleagues right here in Marlborough … in order that we will have some drive and possession and path of what’s vital for us in our group, and for it to not be really taken over, from our facet.

“The actuality is, it is all unknown, however we thought we might come in the present day simply to let you already know what the land lies like, and that we really do wish to work along with everybody right here in Marlborough and likewise with among the assets you must assist us in that journey.

“Because it will be a journey, and it’s not going to be without challenges.”

Peters mentioned they needed to companion with the council as a result of they might “need support”.

“It’s not monetary support, it’s just community support to say that the local people making decisions for local people, particularly around the areas of health, are a really, really important part of what Marlborough needs to have,” he mentioned.

Representatives of three different teams additionally offered to the discussion board; Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o Wairau common supervisor Corey Hebberd, and from Grey Power Marlborough and Rotary Blenheim South.

Hebberd offered an replace about its Matariki celebration, which the council offered a $5000 grant in the direction of.

Grey Power vp Annie Percy advised councillors that the group was working to make the houses of some older individuals safer attributable to considerations that they is likely to be fragile of their houses ought to there be an emergency.