An around-the-clock urgent healthcare service will start in Dunedin before Christmas, potentially easing pressure on the city hospital\u2019s emergency department.<\/p>\n
The 24\/7 service at Dunedin Urgent Doctors & Accident Centre is due to open on December 17.<\/p>\n
Its establishment was announced by the government in May and more details were made available yesterday.<\/p>\n
Health New Zealand living well director Martin Hefford said the service would include diagnostics, pharmacy and radiology.<\/p>\n
A team of doctors, nurses and other health professionals would be on hand to provide urgent care, he said.<\/p>\n
The expanded service was part of the government\u2019s $164 million investment over four years to improve urgent and after-hours care throughout New Zealand, he said.<\/p>\n
Health Minister Simeon Brown said the changes meant more New Zealanders would get the urgent care they needed “without needing to go to the emergency department unless it\u2019s a real emergency”.<\/p>\n
The goal was for 98% of New Zealanders to have access to urgent care within an hour\u2019s drive of their homes.<\/p>\n
WellSouth chief executive Andrew Swanson-Dobbs said an urgent care service in Invercargill was set to expand from July next year.<\/p>\n
Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey said the wider programme should make a difference to rural communities.<\/p>\n
Trials would help shape the design of services for up to 70 rural locations in the next two years, he said.<\/p>\n