The Star: June 15, 2017

The Star Latest Christchurch news at www. .kiwi
Thursday June 15 2017 17
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Health funding at risk
Historian dies
• By Gabrielle Stuart
THE CANTERBURY District
Health Board has less than three
weeks left to catch up on its
surgery waiting lists – with $24
million in funding on the line if
it fails.
The doctor strikes and rebuild
work on operating
theatres
meant many surgeries
had to be
rescheduled, and
the CDHB fell
behind on its set
Andrew
Dickerson
surgery targets.
That left some
patents waiting
more than six
Troubadour 1 by Philip Trusttum
BEHIND: The doctor strikes and rebuild work at Christchurch
Hospital left many patients waiting longer for surgery, and the
health board is now trying to catch up.
months for treatment or a first
assessment – breaking the rules
around the Government funding.
In March, the health board was
told it could face a $24 million
funding cut as penalty if it did
not catch up by the end of June.
That means having fewer than
one per cent of patients waiting
for more than six months, and
completing the year’s target of
20,982 non-emergency surgeries
this month.
The CDHB already faces
financial problems, with a estimated
budget shortfall this year
of more than $39 million.
The CDHB met with the
Ministry of Health to discuss
the situation last month, and the
health board was on track
to achieve the targets at that
point.
Ministry of Health spokeswoman
Clare Perry said a
decision on whether to charge
the penalty would be made in
August, after the results for this
month were confirmed.
CDHB hospital advisory
committee chairman Andrew
Dickerson some of the shortfall
Jubilee Concert
Celebrating 25 years of ‘Music for Pleasure’ by the
Risingholme Orchestra
Conductor - Philip Norman
Soloists:
Mark Walton - Clarinet Amandine Guerin - Violin
Milana Kornienko - Violin Rebecca Bendre - Cello
Guest Conductor: Anthony Ferner
Programme includes:
Artie Shaw - Clarinet Concerto
Vivaldi
- Double Violin Concerto
Bruch
- Kol Nidrei
Plus new work by
Philip Norman - Echoes of an Exhibition
had been made up by contracting
some surgery out to the
private sector – but that only
went so far.
“Contracting out isn’t sustainable,
because we’re using the
same people. Often the same
surgeons work in both private
and public, so there is only so
much they can do. It’s very
much a juggling act,” he said.
He said the difficulty meeting
targets could carry on over
winter, as emergency operations
because of winter illnesses could
use theatre space and delay less
urgent surgery.
TICKETS AT
THE DOOR:
Adults $12
School Children $3
Inspired by Philip Trusttum’s ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ series and specially
commissioned for this concert. Primary sponsors the Sadler Jones Family Trust.
Sunday, 18 June 2017 at 2.00pm
The Piano, 156 Armagh St, Christchurch
• By Caitlin Miles
OKAINS BAY identity Murray
Thacker has died.
The 83-year-old, whose great
grandparents were early settlers
in the Okains Bay area, passed
away last week.
He was best known for his
work with the Okains Bay Maori
and Colonial Museum, which he
founded.
He collected many historic
items over the decades for the
museum and he was heavily
involved in the annual Waitangi
Day celebrations.
He was awarded a Queen’s
Service Medal for his work.
Mr Thacker was once described
as being ‘pure Okains’.
He was born in 1933 and grew
up in Okains Bay, He attended
the local school and began his
collecting interest of historic
items while there.
He went onto Christchurch
Boys’ High School, trained as
a blacksmith, and returned to
Okains Bay and developed a successful
hereford stud.
The Okains Bay Maori and Colonial
Museum began as his private
collection in his own home,
but when the opportunity arose,
he purchased the disused Okains
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Bay Cheese Factory in 1968 and
spent the next nine years setting
up the museum.
This included the relocation
and restoration of many colonial
historic buildings, forging links
with Maori crafts people and
commissioning the construction
of the Whakaata and Pataka
and the erection of the Whare
Taonga.
Mr Thacker was awarded a
Queen’s Service Medal shortly
after gifting the museum
collection. In 2009, he was
honoured by the Canterbury
History Foundation with the A.C
Rhodes History Medal.
His funeral will be held today.
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