28 November 2019

Ōpōtiki Independent Nursing Service - OPINS

The Ōpōtiki Independent Nursing Service (OPINS) has advised the Bay of Plenty District Health Board (BOPDHB) that they are unable to continue to provide a night time nursing service, effective 1 December 2019, at the Ōpōtiki Community Health Centre.

The Ōpōtiki Community Health Centre will remain open from 8 am to 10 pm, and closed from 11 pm to 7 am, 7 days a week.

OPINS has been unable to recruit replacement staff when vacancies have arisen this year and have been operating 12 hour shifts to maintain their contract commitments for the last 6 months.

A recent resignation has left them unable to continue these shifts and they have exhausted options to recruit replacements or find casuals. This has led to OPINS advising the Bay of Plenty District Health Board, that they cannot continue to provide the night shift nursing service effective from 1 December 2019.

OPINS service hours therefore will be from 8am to 10 pm and this will be communicated to the Ōpōtiki community and key stakeholders.

St John will continue its 24/7 service, and now has a paramedic stationed in Ōpōtiki to manage and transport patients requiring emergency care to Whakatāne Hospital.

The Ōpōtiki GP afterhours system is part of the Whakatāne after hours primary care roster. This has been well publicised in Ōpōtiki and enrolled patients are asked to call their GP clinic in the first instance for their after hours care. The call is directed to a registered nurse.

We cannot solve these issues alone. The BOPDHB is committed to working with the community and local stakeholders, as it has done over the last four years. We are working with the community to develop a new local primary model of care with other health providers in the town, to ensure we have a robust model of health care in the Ōpōtiki area for the future.

We will provide regular updates on how this is progressing.

FAQ

Why have the night time hours been stopped?

OPINS has been unable to recruit replacement staff when vacancies have arisen this year and have been operating 12 hour shifts to maintain their contract commitments for the last 6 months.

A recent resignation has left them unable to continue these shifts and they have exhausted options to recruit replacements or find casuals.

They have advised they cannot continue to provide the night shift cover effective 1
December 2019.

What hours will the Ōpōtiki Community Health Centre be open?

It will be open from 8 am to 10 pm seven days a week. It is closing only from 11 pm to 7 am.

With the Ōpōtiki Community Health Centre closed between 11 pm and 7 am where do people go for medical attention?

If it is an emergency dial 111.

If they are enrolled with a GP ring their GP's clinic and they will be forwarded to a nurse triage service.

Call the 0800 HealthLine 0800 611 116.

How long will the Ōpōtiki Community Health Centre be closed overnight?

At this stage we do not know.

During the day when the Ōpōtiki Community Health Centre is open what services will be available?

The same services that are already available.

Will the Outpatients Clinics continue?

Yes.

 

Click here to see more info about the new arrangements of the Ōpōtiki Primary Maternity Unit based at the Ōpōtiki Community Health Centre.