The future of child cancer services in Wellington is on a knife-edge again after families learned of a Government plan that they say will kill hard-won services in the capital. It is understood Health Minister Tony Ryall is on the verge of announcing a national plan that would mean Christchurch Hospital and Auckland's Starship children's hospital become the only child cancer units. The proposal was to be announced last week but was delayed after concerned parents wrote to Mr Ryall.
In September, Capital & Coast District Health Board signed a hard-won shared-service agreement with Canterbury District Health Board, after years of problems with Wellington's service. Under that agreement, most treatment for lower North Island patients would take place in Wellington. Children would be sent to Christchurch only for complex or intensive treatment. But that may be shortlived if the Health Ministry's national plan goes ahead in its current form. Wellington parents said yesterday that a final draft of the plan recommends two specialist centres – one in Christchurch, one in Auckland – with "some" care in Wellington.
That would probably mean an end to the time a Canterbury paediatric oncologist spends at Wellington Hospital, and force Wellington patients and their families to spend months away from home. It would also kill hope of ever reviving Wellington's full service. The other option, which parents have pushed for, is for two services spread across the three main centres – with visits continuing from Christchurch and all but the most complex or intensive treatment provided in Wellington.
A core group of parents who helped develop the Wellington-Christchurch agreement broke the news to other families yesterday in a letter. "There was disappointment that the document did not appear to provide sufficient support to either the agreement signed between Wellington and Christchurch, or to the families of the region around keeping and supporting services in Wellington. "It does not appear to be supportive of ... two specialist services across the three main centres."Mr Ryall had so far not agreed to the parents' written request for a meeting to discuss their worries. "The group have yet to hear a formal response from the ministry, or the minister, and have no indication that the points that have been made have been investigated or accepted."
Mr Ryall would not comment on the plan yesterday, other than to say it was "very close" to being settled. A spokesman said no meeting with the parents was scheduled. Kyllee King-Turner, whose three-year-old daughter Cleo is being treated for leukaemia, said parents were really concerned. "We just want a safe environment for our children and we want to be able to stay in Wellington as much as possible."The family had 12 hours to get on a plane to Christchurch when Cleo's cancer was diagnosed in March, not knowing how long they would be away from home for.
They have since spent more than three months in Christchurch for treatment, which was hard for everyone – especially Cleo. "She's so much happier at home. She's got her tramp and her own little bed."Being forced to fight for services was added stress that families did not need, Mrs King-Turner said. "We shouldn't have to expend precious energy on dealing with politics."Parents were upset Mr Ryall had not responded. "We really want to meet with him. We want him to hear our concerns."