40 senior doctors give open letter to PM on Dunedin Hospital

In an open letter to the Prime Minister, more than 40 southern senior doctors are warning any cost cut cutting or down sizing of the Dunedin Hospital rebuild could leave it in a precarious state, clinically and operationally. The government is rethinking the new hospital after revealing the price tag could blow out to 3 billion dollars, saying the project has to be completed within the current budget of about 1.9 billion, meaning potential trims. That's despite National campaigning on delivering Dunedin a hospital that would be fit for purpose for generations. In the letter the clinicians from multiple specialities including oncology, obstetrics, elderly health, and emergency care say an aging population with increasingly complex needs means the region needs a highly functional modern and resilient hospital. Consultant anesthetist and clinical director of anasthesia at Dunedin Hospital Dr Claire Ireland spoke to Lisa Owen.