Long-term future of local health provision is a concern - 8/04/2010

At Tuesday’s Community Development Committee meeting, Whanganui District Health Board Chair Kate Joblin and her CEO explained the central alliance relationship between MidCentral Health (Palmerston North) and Whanganui DHB.

The reasons for collaboration between the two health boards are numerous – for collegiality, for efficiency, for clinician support, for cost savings, for shared services and more. To me, the most compelling reason is that this is a ministerial decree and that central government is the driver of this collaborative venture. I have no concerns with collaboration. I do have concerns as to the long-term future of our local health provision. Only by coming back from the future will we be able to determine where this collaboration will take us. Meanwhile, Chair Kate Joblin is determined to make our DHB as good and responsive as it can be, given our funding and population limitations. We must all hope this is achieved.

At last week’s Iwi liaison meeting with Tupoho, we were treated to a fascinating archaeological report on a piece of local history which carbon dates a Maori midden on the banks of the Whanganui at over 600 years old. From this midden, archaeologists have collected fish hooks, adornments and weapons made of moa bones, whale bones and more. Cr Ray Stevens has agreed to bring this presentation to our next Community Development meeting so that more Wanganui people can learn this fascinating slice of local history.

Cr Nicki Higgie is championing a local sculpture competition. As such, Council is looking for expressions of interest from a local arts practitioner to sit on the selection panel for the Sculpture Wanganui 2010 event. This person must be an experienced arts practitioner with an interest in, and understanding of, contemporary arts. A modest fee is payable upon completion of selection responsibilities. If interested, contact Don Hunter, Arts Coordinator on (06) 349 0001 ext. 8415. Registrations close at 5.00pm on Thursday, April 8, so ring today.

Winter looms and with it the cold weather, flus, bugs and other greebies. Keep warm, keep fit and keep away from the greebies!