By Lee Scanlon of 
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has stopped short of saying the West Coast's planned new weekend health service will be safe for patients.
Nor will the minister say how he plans to fix the funding model being blamed for the reduced service.
From 1 October, the Coast will lose its weekend urgent GP clinics. They will be replaced by telehealth provider, Ka Ora, with some in-person clinical back-up.
Both the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) and the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) oppose the cuts, saying patients will be put risk.
The Westport News asked Reti if he believed the proposed service would be safe for patients.
"I have been assured that alongside growing capacity for after-hours care through utilising telehealth support, in-person care will remain available on the West Coast," Reti replied.
"I am very aware that there are financial and workforce pressures on some practices. West Coast Health, Health NZ and the private GP practices will continue to work in partnership to ensure there are sustainable primary care services for our West Coast community."
Reti said he was heartened to hear a new GP had begun work at Health NZ West Coast's Greymouth practice last month and two new GPs had recently been recruited for the Coast, although their start dates are yet to be confirmed.
Primary health organisation West Coast Health says the weekend GP clinics operate at a loss and struggle for staff. Chief executive Caro Findlay said last week the only solution was better government primary health funding for rural areas.
She said the Coast received the same pro rata funding as cities, but had a huge geographical area, no major tertiary hospital and no 24-hour urgent care clinics.
Reti did not respond when asked why West Coasters should receive less access to health care than their city counterparts.
Nor would he say whether he agreed the funding model was unfair or how he would fix it.
"Health NZ continues to work with the primary care sector on sustainable funding arrangements," he said.
"GPs recently received their annual contract uplift and Health NZ has a technical review of GP funding underway.
"Health NZ is also currently working with ACC on a national project to design accessible and sustainable urgent care and after-hours services around the country, and this work will inform the Rural Unplanned and Urgent Care review underway."
Findlay told The News yesterday that West Coast Health would send its "decision document" to Health NZ West Coast staff, the ASMS and the NZNO today, and make a public statement tomorrow.
West Coast Health plans to deliver flyers to every West Coast home detailing the changes.
- This story was originally published by The Westport News.
