By Lee Scanlon of 
Photo: Unsplash / Hush Naidoo Jade
The final details were today still being hammered out for a major change in West Coast health services which is just a fortnight away.
From 1 October, the Coast's weekend urgent GP clinics are set to disappear.
Primary health organisation West Coast Health (WCH) said the clinics are operating at a loss and struggle for staff. It plans to replace them with telehealth provider, Ka Ora, and some clinician backup.
Chief executive Caro Findlay said today the last details were still being worked through.
WCH's "decision document" would be sent to Health NZ West Coast staff, the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) and the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) tomorrow.
"On Friday we will make a media statement announcing the outcome of the proposal," Findlay said.
Findlay told The News last week that flyers detailing the changes would be delivered to every West Coast household from Monday this week.
She said today the flyers were still being printed. They would be delivered by teams of volunteers to ensure every home received them before 1 October, she said.
WCH has not consulted the community about the service cut.
Patient Voice Aotearoa chairperson Dr Malcolm Mulholland said that was not good enough.
"West Coast Health needs to slow down, take a breather and engage with the public before ending weekend GP clinics from next month," Mulholland told The News last week.
"Why the rush, especially when the consequences are so severe?"
The proposal to cut weekend GP clinics emerged last month when a consultation document for health staff was leaked to the media.
Both the ASMS and the NZNO have submitted against the cut, saying it puts patients at risk.
Both also said WCH's consultation document lacked detail.
"The removal of in-person after-hours care presents serious risks for the West Coast community that need to be carefully assessed and mitigated," the doctors' submission said.
The NZNO's submission said Buller Hospital had already been closed seven times this year by understaffing.
"Further closures in the absence of primary care services providing urgent after-hours care would be untenable and create extreme risk," the NZNO said.
Findlay has said the only way to avoid the cuts is more government funding.
The News is seeking comment from Health Minister Dr Shane Reti.
A health protest march is planned in Westport on 28 September.
