A survey of Counties-Manukau District Health Board reveals a significant shortfall of senior hospital specialists.
Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS), says the results of the ASMS survey are very concerning and stand in stark contrast to reports the DHB is considering voluntary redundancies.
"We have an extraordinary situation where senior hospital doctors - and no doubt other clinical staff at the DHB - are working shorthanded and struggling to cope, yet the DHB's management is looking at drastic measures to deal with the ongoing budget constraints the Government has repeatedly failed to address," he says.