Charity hospital seeks to fill gaps in service.

Christchurch's newly opened charity hospital performed its first operations on the last day of Last month--hernia operations for three people who had insufficient points to get on the hospital waiting list and who couldn't afford to have the procedures done privately.

A first for New Zealand, the charity hospital has been built entirety on donations and has a state-of-the-art operating theatre, a two-bed recovery unit, computerised examination rooms, kitchen, lounge and administrative area. Its mission is to provide free elective day surgery and outpatient services to those who would otherwise miss out.

Manager Lorraine Proffit, a former Canterbury District Health Board perioperative nurse and educator, is the only permanent paid staff member. She has been on the pay roll for the last two years, but has been involved with the Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust for the past four years, initially approached by surgeon Philip Bagshaw to do some patient costings. She agrees it is sad the public health system can't meet the needs of all those who need surgery.

"In the 1970s and '80s, around 60 percent of the surgery performed at Christchurch Hospital was elective, with 40 percent acute. These days, these figures have reversed, with 70 percent of the work acute and only 30 percent elective. Those who are admitted are also much sicker, requiring more intervention. Our population is aging, but we can also do more to help people live longer.

"Around one third of patients who are referred to Canterbury hospitals by their GPs receive rejection letters and return to their GPs for ongoing management. Only when their conditions worsen will they be referred back to the public hospital. Many people in Canterbury have serious and debilitating conditions such as cataracts, hernias, varicose veins and haemorrhoids that will not receive tax-funded surgery. In our region, 15,000 people have been dropped from surgical waiting lists in recent years." Only those referred by their GPs will receive treatment through the trust. The GP must provide evidence that the patient has been excluded from public hospital treatment and that they can not afford private treatment. "Our first three patients are so delighted to be having their operations," said Proffit. "Their excitement gives us a real buzz." The trust has received offers of assistance from more than 100 local nurses, medical and surgical specialists, as well as a number of auxiliary volunteers. "Some of the nurses are semi-retired or working part-time. Those without practising certificates will do general patient care like greeting patients and bringing them tea," said Proffit. "I will fit in where I am needed and will also provide teaching to nurses once the service has become established."

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Bagshaw, who chairs the trust and has been the prime mover and shaker behind it, says charitable institutions providing health care and social services have existed in New Zealand for many years. He cites St George's Hospital and Nurse Maude as examples, though today they both have a very limited ability to provide subsidised care. He hopes the hospital wilt be able to provide 700 operations and 700 medical consultations in its first year and to increase this figure over time. The trust will have to raise around $400,000 a year to reach this target. "We won't be able to fill the need gap, but we can at least ease the burden for some patients." The hospital will have its official opening on October 12.