Selwyn Times: September 13,

FREE TUESday SEPTEMBER 13 2016 379 7100 Selwyn Times Proudly locally owned and published by Star Media Award winning publishing group Kea (Nestor Notabilis) DRIVE PHONE FREE Ladbrooks, Tai Tapu, Leeston, Lincoln, Southbridge, Prebbleton, Halswell, Rolleston, Templeton, Burnham, West Melton, Darfield, Arthurs Pass Lincoln have won the Selwyn Premier Netball competition, winning 17 straight games on their way to the title. They defeated Rolleston 53-38 in Saturday’s grand-final at the Lincoln Event Centre. •More photos, p21, 22 Videolink medical plan • By Tom Doudney A PROPOSED 24-hour medical facility in Rolleston could see doctors at Christchurch Hospital giving instructions to nurses via videolink to provide around-the-clock care for Selwyn residents. And the facility could later be expanded to include other health services. The proposal has come out of discussions between the district council, Selwyn Times Canterbury District Health Board and 266mm x 90mm St John. Grant Miller District councillors Grant Miller and mayoral candidate Pat McEvedy, who have been representing the district council in the discussions, said they believed the proposal has a strong chance of going ahead. The district council is considering using land it owns next to the new St John Selwyn Central base for the facility. While telemedicine, the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients via videolink and other digital technology, has been used before in Canterbury, this would be the first time the approach had been used to operate an after hours acute service. Patients could be triaged and assessed before having treatment at the facility or, in more serious cases, being sent on to Christchurch. Cr Miller said a 24-hour medical centre with doctors on site was not feasible in Selwyn as a population of well over 100,000 would be required to sustain it. The telemedicine approach was a viable alternative. “We’re pretty positive at the council that we can make this happen,” he said. “We have a good core of people working on it and we hope to turn it into reality pretty soon.” •Turn to page 4 Pat McEvedy 16HMDG160622 Ph 03 324 2571 irrigation wells potable water supplies ground source heating geotechnical assessment building foundations & retaining walls www.drilling.co.nz 120 High St, Southbridge