Health NZ continues staffing support at Dannevirke Community Hospital

Health NZ says it's continuing to provide staffing support at Dannevirke Community Hospital and will provide an update on arrangements there next week.

Last month a temporary freeze was placed on The Tararua Health Group hospital taking new patients, while it found new clinical staff after several resignations. This was lifted earlier this month.

Doctors in the Tararua District had raised concerns about transferring patients to the hospital due to safety risks, and a subsequent Health NZ audit found serious concerns.

Health NZ central regional director for planning, funding and outcomes, Geoff Gwyn, said on Friday it remained committed to "supporting the continued provision of services at Dannevirke Community Hospital".

That would extend beyond Saturday to provide hospital services at the six-bed clinic.

"A resourced and clinically safe roster is in place through to 30 October, and the cessation order has been extended to that date while longer-term arrangements are worked through.

"There has been no change to maternity services at Dannevirke Community Hospital, including the availability of postnatal stays," he said.

"Tararua Health Group remains the provider responsible for operating Dannevirke Community Hospital.

"Health NZ continues to work closely with the provider and local stakeholders, with our focus on ensuring the Tararua community has access to safe and sustainable health services."

Health NZ said further information would be available next week for arrangements after 30 October.

A month ago Gwyn said said Tararua Health Group had 30 days to fix the roster and recruit more clinical staff.

The hospital, as well as other clinics in Tararua, are owned by the Tararua Health Group, which is owned by OmniHealth. It runs a network of practices around New Zealand.

While the freeze on new patients was in place, people were admitted to Palmerston North Hospital.

Several staff have also resigned from the Pahīatua Medical centre, also owned by Tararua Health Group, citing concerns about workload and patient safety.