3 March 2015
For immediate release
Patients will soon be able to be transported from Dunstan Hospital to Dunedin Hospital in a new Mercedes Sprinter thanks to a grant of $64,864 from Central Lakes Trust.
“If Dunstan Hospital did not operate this service, it would have to rely on St John for standard transfers, thereby reducing availability of emergency ambulances in the region for
111 responses at a time when emergency callouts are increasing” said Dr Rob Visser,
Clinical Director, Central Otago Health Services Limited.
“A return trip takes the hospital ambulance, crew and a nurse away from the hospital for 7 –
10 hours”.
The current vehicle was initially introduced as a trial in May 2012 and has transported patients mainly to Dunedin, but also to Invercargill, Christchurch and Timaru. The service has reduced waiting times, transfer costs and increased patient options. It also serves as an emergency back-up for Lakes District Hospital in Frankton if it is unable to arrange an urgent transfer.
“Central Lakes Trust views this as a particularly important project for the region as the new vehicle will allow the hospital to provide a reliable and efficient transport service for patients needing high levels of care and surgery” Paul Allison, Chief Executive, Central Lakes Trust said.
Dunstan Hospital transports approximately 250 patients per year, a proportion of which are transported by St John under its emergency ambulance contract. It anticipates 120 – 150 patient-transfers per year will be transported by the new vehicle.
Media Contact: Dr Rob Visser, Clinical Director, Central Otago Health Services Ltd, phone: 03 440 4300 or 027 4440538
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This grant was one of twelve grants approved by the Trust totalling $371,334 at its latest funding round.
Volunteering Otago was granted $54,686 to support the Volunteering Central “matching” service that was first established in 2009.
“Our main goal is to increase the capacity of community organisations that rely on volunteers by connecting them with people who are willing to offer their skills and energy” Anna Clere,
Manager, Volunteering Otago Trust said.
“ We provide a “one-stop-shop” for volunteering information, vacancies and training.
There are over 200 organisations that Volunteering Central supports”.
Volunteering Central now plans to identify how young people can become more actively involved with the community and develop a youth volunteering recognition event. It also intends to provide a service to local businesses to help them support their employees to volunteer in the community.
Media Contact: Anna Clere, Manager, Volunteering Otago Trust
Phone: 03 471 6171 or 027 578 1040
Operational grants totalling $192,500 were approved to support the staffing costs for the youth workers in the four local Youth Trusts for the forthcoming year. Alzheimers
Society Otago ( $12,000) and Brain Injury Association Otago ($10,000) also received grants towards staffing costs.
GRANTS APPROVED
Birthright Central Otago
Central & Southern Autism Support Group
Central Otago Health Services Ltd
St Columba ’s Anglican Church Wanaka
Alzheimers Society Otago
Brain Injury Association Otago
Volunteering Otago
Alexandra & Districts Youth Trust
Cromwell Youth Trust
Teviot Valley Community Christian Trust
Wakatipu Youth Trust
Showbiz Queenstown
TOTAL:
ENDS
For further information contact:
Paul Allison, Chief Executive, Central Lakes Trust
Telephone: (03) 445 9958 or (0274) 367 170
Email: info@clt.net.nz
Resources
Therapy Expenses
Patient Transport Vehicle
Replacement of Roof
Operational 2015-16
Operational 2015-16
$4,000
$6,784
$64,864
$6,500
$12,000
$10,000
Operational 2015-16
Operational 2015-16
Operational 2015-16
Operational 2015-16
Operational 2015-16
$54,686
$57,500
$42,500
$28,750
$63,750
Costumes
“Saturday night fever”
$10,000
Guarantee against loss (GAL) $10,000
$371,334
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