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Second doctor says MidCentral Health gagging staff
By – Tuesday, 27 January 2009
A Palmerston North hospital doctor says MidCentral Health is a "propaganda machine", confirming staff were gagged from speaking publicly about lengthy waiting lists for cancer patients.
The senior radiation oncologist, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals, said MidCentral Health was lying when it said on Friday that staff weren't gagged. He revealed some patients were waiting up to four times longer for treatment than the national guidelines stipulate – with some waiting up to 17 weeks.
Last week, Johan Nel wrote a letter to the expressing his disgust at waiting lists for radiation therapy.
Last week MidCentral Health denied these claims.
When the Standard approached him for further comment, Dr Nel said he had been told he was not allowed to speak to the media.
And the same spokesperson continued to deny the claims last night. A spokesperson said: "We do not gag or censor our staff", and "I don't know who told him not to speak to the media". If that impression was given it's most unfortunate.
"We don't gag our staff.
But the second senior doctor said the hospital's claim the doctors has not been silenced was a "direct lie"." He said if the senior radiation oncologist's name was known he would be able to make further comment.
"In fact, contrary to what the DHB had told you, we had a staff meeting .
He said the same day MidCentral Health rejected Dr Nel's claim he had been silenced, staff at a weekly radiation department meeting were explicitly instructed not to talk to the media. . ."
A senior colleague addressed the meeting, saying he had received instructions from someone further up in the hospital hierarchy, the doctor said. [on January 22] and that was brought up as part of it."
Dr Nel's letter said radiation therapy waiting lists were "appalling", with no sign of improvement unless the hospital's budget was increased.
"He was passing on a message that we were told not to talk if the media contacted us.
Last week, MidCentral said most patients were seen within the recommended timeframe, but went on to say treatment times would be brought back to "acceptable" levels within six months.
He called on board chairman Murray Georgel and other board members to lead a protest march on Parliament.
The senior doctor said this was not true.
Staff were working overtime and a new liclose to accelerator machine would speed therapy up, it said.
"Clearly there's not enough resources – that's a fact. . But the DHB and senior hospital management have been aware of this for probably three years. . . It seems to be the accepted norm now."
MidCentral had claimed staff were working overtime and weekends to cull the waiting list. This had not been standard practice, and with at least four staff members going on maternity leave in the next few months, the doctor feared treatment times would increase.
"It's more likely there will be less treatment in the next six months, rather than more."
A new $4 million liclose to accelerator, which was meant to replace an old unit, would not be enough to get treatment times down, he said.
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Auckland commuters escape bus blaze
– Monday, 08 December 2008
CHAZ FOXALL/Supplied
BLAZE: A bus fire on Gowing Drive, Medowbank. Two commuters and the driver were on the bus when it went up in flames. No one was injured in the incident.
Fire Service spokesperson Jaron Phillips said the bus went up in flames in Gowing Ave, Meadowbank at about 8.
A small number of Auckland commuters had to flee for their lives earlier today after the city bus they were travelling on caught fire. He said the blaze was so intense calls were received from as far away as the North Shore.30am.
Fire trucks from Remuera and St Heliers attended the fire which left the bus severely damaged.
Investigations will continue throughout the day to find out how the fire was started. .
.No-one was hurt in the incident
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Rescued climber in ‘remarkable’ condition
at Mount Cook Village – Friday, 05 December 2008
SURVIVOR: Hideaki Nara is brought to Christchurch by Westpac Rescue Helicopter after his mountain ordeal.
Rescued climber airlifted to Christchurch
The climber rescued from Mt Cook/Aoraki this morning after a week-long ordeal which claimed the life of his guide is in "remarkable" condition, Christchurch Hospital staff say.
Hideaka Nara, 51, was airlifted to hospital this morning suffering frostbite, buthis climbing companionKiyoshi Ikenouchi, 49, perished overnight, just hours before the rescue helicopter arrived.
Christchurch Hospital staff saidNara was still undergoing tests this afternoon but he was in "remarkably good" condition.
The pairendured seven days at 3700m on the country's highest peak in ferocious weather conditions which prevented earlier rescue attempts.
Ikenouchi and Nara are understood to have lost their tent yesterday and may have lost a sleeping bag as well, leaving only one between them.
Despite suffering frostbite to his hands and face,Nara was able to walk to the helicopter.
The men spent last night in the open as their tent either became buried in snow or blew away, Police Inspector Dave Gaskin said.
But itmay not have made much of a difference in the end, as the pair were already very well equipped, he said.
Supplies were dropped near their camp yesterday, but Gaskin said rescuers confirmed this morning the pair did not know they were there."
Senior Constable Brent Swanson said an improvement in weather this morning had made the rescue possible.
"Indications are that, if anything, they were over-equipped and that may have been one of the reasons why they were very slow in the first two days of their trip.
"The outcome wasn't 100 per cent, but it was 50 per cent.
He said he was comfortable with the decisions made during the week…''
Pilot Nigel Gee said it had been a "text book" rescue thanks to better weather conditions..
It was "extremely hard" to know that Mr Ikenouchi died within hours of rescuers reaching him, he said.
DOC area manager Richard MacNamara said the week of waiting had been very stressful for the search team."
Mr Ikenouchi – who helped in a rescue on the mountain five years ago -is the 69th climber known to have died on New Zealand's highest peak, and the seventh Japanese.
"The only good thing to come out of it is that at least there is some closure for the family.
The slow progress meant they were caught out by a mountain storm and forced to bivouac at high altitude.
The pair were attempting Mt Cook's Grand Traverse, climbing from the Hooker Valley to the South Peak, summiting from there, before heading down to Plateau Hut.30am.
The conditions finally cleared this morning and the rescue team flew in by helicopter at 5.
"It's pretty perilous sort of stuff," said Gaskin.
"It's pretty perilous sort of stuff," said Gaskin.
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