Laing was told his long-term mobility could be affected by the recent surgery. “The best possible outcome would be walking without too much discomfort.” A doctor said he may lose his foot if the infection continued. Laing was discharged last week and given intravenous antibiotics and daily home nursing support to dress his wound. The ordeal had been very distressing and had left him a “basket-case”, Laing said. He was extremely concerned about his future ability to work and look after his intellectually disabled adult son, who was “100 per cent dependent” on him. The health nightmare began on December 15 when he ruptured his Achilles tendon, tearing it from the bone, while wheeling a vacuum cleaner downstairs.
Five months after joining the national bowel screening programme, the Canterbury health board has no plans to provide enough space for all colonoscopies.
GPs can also refer patients to Te Tumu Waiora staff employed by non-government organisations. Under the scheme the Government provides funding for mental health staff, but GPs are required to provide a space for them to work with patients. The CDHB has spent $4.3m of the budget to fund 17 HIPs and 25 health coaches – new roles created for the programme – across 15 medical centres, acting planning and funding manager Ralph La Salle said. He indicated the underspending was a result of a lack of GP “readiness”, staff and access to training. The CDHB is working with the Ministry of Health on how the unspent funds could be used in the future, La Salle said.
Māori TV
The mental health sector was one of the biggest winners in the 2019 Budget, getting funding to the tune of $1.9b. (Video first published July 16, 2020)
Funding of $600,000 for new mental health services is yet to be spent in Canterbury, with some GPs saying they cannot afford to provide space for the Government programme. The Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) confirmed it was allocated $4.9 million for mental health services in general practices in 2020-21 as part of a $40m national budget for Te Tumu Waiora, the Government’s integrated primary mental health and addiction (IPMHA) service. Under Te Tumu Waiora – te reo for “to head towards wellness” – three new types of staff can join a general practice and work with patients suffering mental distress – health improvement practitioners (HIPs), health coaches and support workers, according to the ministry.
A Canterbury DHB boss has blamed a social media post for causing confusion about the availability of Covid vaccines to the public after a nurse was assaulted.