A Hawke’s Bay woman was left feeling “terrified” after Napier’s only round-the-clock medical centre was closed, forcing her to drive herself to the nearest hospital despite being in severe pain.
Haze Tawhara, who suffers from an ovarian cyst that causes debilitating pain, sought medical assistance last weekend at City Medical, only to find the facility shut.
“Usually, I go to Wellesley, Napier’s after-hours clinic, so I don’t add to the hospital emergency department’s burden when all I need is pain relief or fluids,” she told 1News.
With no family nearby to assist her, she had no option but to drive herself to Hastings Hospital’s emergency department.
“I was really scared,” Tawhara recalled. “I had to pull over several times because the pain was so intense—I was afraid I might crash. I delayed going in when I should have gone much sooner, and by the time I arrived, they had to put me to sleep because the pain was unbearable.”
Concerns Over Diminishing Health Services
Over the past year, Napier’s 24-hour medical facility has treated nearly seven patients per night. Health NZ has yet to confirm what the future of overnight services will look like, as consultations on the changes are ongoing. In the interim, a night nurse has been assigned to help bridge the gap, with a final decision expected by the end of the month.
Community Outrage Over Declining Healthcare Access
A public meeting was held this week to address growing concerns, led by Patient Voice Aotearoa’s Malcolm Mulholland, who is traveling nationwide to examine the state of regional healthcare.
“The situation is extremely dire,” Mulholland stated. “We’re hearing countless stories of people missing out on treatment, enduring excessively long waits at emergency departments, and even traveling between regions just to access urgent care.”
Local leaders argue that when Napier Hospital closed in 1998, there were assurances that a 24-hour healthcare facility would remain. However, Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise expressed disappointment at the gradual decline of services.
“It’s heartbreaking to see those commitments broken,” Wise said. “Over the years, we’ve seen a steady reduction in services—outpatient clinics, specialist consultations, community healthcare. We lost our maternity ward, and now we may lose overnight urgent care. It’s frightening.”
Government Responds
Health Minister Simeon Brown acknowledged the concerns of Napier residents and assured them that action is being taken.
“I understand the frustrations of the local community,” Brown said. “I have asked Health New Zealand to explore alternative solutions to ensure that Napier residents continue to receive quality overnight urgent care in a timely manner.”
With public frustration mounting, the community is mobilizing to demand better healthcare access, as residents await Health NZ’s final decision.
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