Good Emergency Care at Christchurch Hospital

Health Minister Bill English today released a report which he said showed that Christchurch Hospital's emergency department was providing a good service to the people of Canterbury.

The independent review of the department was commissioned by Mr English and conducted by the Clinical Director of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Auckland Hospital, Dr Peter Freeman.

"The people of Canterbury can be confident they have a good emergency service at Christchurch Hospital.

"Over the last two years there has been considerable public comment and question about the standard of service at the hospital. This has undermined public confidence in the hospital.

"Later this week the Health and Disability Commissioner will release her report on Canterbury Health and this will reopen discussion about the issues that led to the inquiry. Already we are seeing certain groups attempt to again raise questions about the services at Christchurch, as is evidenced by an article in yesterday's Sunday newspaper.

"This report reassures me and it will reassure the public of Canterbury that the services provided at Christchurch's emergency department are good. I am releasing it ahead of the Commissioner's report because I don't want this message to get lost in potential claim and counter-claim about historical events at the hospital.

"Dr Freeman's opinion is that the department has fulfilled its obligation to provide emergency medicine with reasonable care and skill.

"He says that major improvements have been made to the facilities and equipment in the emergency department over the last year. He says that staffing levels are still less than ideal, although they have improved over the last year, but notes that there are recruitment difficulties around the country because of a shortage of emergency medicine specialists.

"Dr Freeman has recommended that I establish a National Committee to advise the Director-General of Health on appropriate standards for the provision of emergency medicine in New Zealand. I will wait until I see any recommendations the Health and Disability Commissioner may make before making any decision on this.

"I noted with particular interest Dr Freeman's view that 'safety' was not an adjective that should be used to describe hospital practice because it was emotive and subjective," said Mr English.