Fear of 3 months’ more pain
AN Otago man who has endured five months of waiting in pain fears it will be at least another three months until he is seen by a urologist.
The 76yearold, who did not wish to be named, warned Dunedin Hospital’s urology department was in a ‘‘shambles’’ and urgently needed more specialists,
His comments come as Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand (HNZ) Southern confirms its hunt for more urologists has yet to bear fruit half a year on.
The patient was admitted to hospital in August with a blocked bladder.
He was given a catheter and, after a long wait resulted in nothing, was sent home again.
‘‘The next day a nurse came out, and that was it.
‘‘Come early December I got a letter to say — this is after four months already — we’ll be seeing you within 16 weeks.’’
Unwilling to wait another four months, he rang the hospital and was told he would be seen in January or February.
However, earlier this week he called again, and was told there was no way he would be seen within the timeframe of the letter.
He said he was was concerned after being told there was ‘‘only one specialist in Dunedin now’’.
Prostate and bladder problems meant he was ‘‘living in pain’’ and reliant on a catheter.
It was a hopeless situation, he said.
The worst part of waiting to be seen and diagnosed was knowing something was wrong, but not what.
‘‘The staff that you do talk to are very nice, but you just don’t get an answer.
‘‘You’re up against the wall — eight months to know whether you’ve got bloody cancer or not is a big ask to ask anybody to wait.’’
When he called the hospital in pain he was told to take a couple of paracetamol, he said.
The best his general practitioner could do was give him painkillers, rather than looking inside and telling him what was going on as a specialist could.
The whole urology department seemed overworked, and HNZ Southern needed to take action to solve the problem.
‘‘For goodness sake get some more doctors and specialists in Dunedin. It’s just a shambles in there at the moment.’’
Dunedin Hospital’s urology department has struggled in recent years — it was the subject of a damning health and disability commissioner report in 2019.
The situation seemed to improve and a new hire late that year brought the number of urologists based at Dunedin Hospital to four.
However by July 2023, the hospital was down to just two urologists, as reported by the Otago Daily Times.
HNZ Southern was attempting to hire more, it said at the time.
HNZ Southern group director of operations Hamish Brown said yesterday the hospital had two urologists, and was recruiting for another 1.8 fulltime equivalents.
Support was being provided by Southland urologists, as well as locum staff.
‘‘Our urology staff are doing their best to ensure that we provide highquality care to our patients, and we thank people for being patient and understanding.
‘‘We know recruitment can take time.
‘‘Patients waiting for treatment whose symptoms change or whose health deteriorates should raise this with their general practitioner as soon as possible.’’
Those most in need were prioritised, he said.
There was ‘‘always room for improvement’’ and the patient was encouraged to email with feedback.
HNZ Southern was unable to provide waiting list data yesterday.