Photo: Supplied/ Waikato Hospital
Health New Zealand has apologised to a New Plymouth woman who was forced to "scrounge up" the cash to pay for a private ultrasound, after being told she would have to wait six months under the public system.
The woman was suffering chest pains and eventually ended up in the emergency department at Taranaki Base Hospital. and had to be flown to Waikato Hospital for emergency surgery.
Health NZ said workforce shortages were impacting radiology services in Taranaki, but it was using all its available resources, working with regional and national colleagues and engaging private providers to manage backlogs and reduce wait times.
The woman - who only wanted to be known as Shontelle - was initially referred for an ultrasound after visiting her GP complaining of chest pains in December 2023.
"I called to see how long that it would take to get the ultrasound because obviously I was in a lot of pain and they told me it was going to be a six months wait for an ultrasound.
"So, for me I was in so much pain and so often, we decided to scrounge up the money and go privately."
The private scan revealed her condition required urgent attention.
"So, that was obviously nearly $300, which most people don't have but we found it, and the ultrasound found out that my gall bladder was chock full of gallstones and two weeks later I ended up in the emergency department.
"So, then they had to do that urgently because it was an emergency situation. I had to be flown to Waikato for surgery. It's insane. God knows how long it would've taken otherwise if I'd had to wait."
Shontelle said the whole experience was terrible.
"It was absolutely frustrating and while I felt privileged we could pull it off, I felt terrible for other people who can't and they end up in pain for a very long time until it gets so bad they have to go to ED."
Health NZ apologises
Health NZ Te Whatu Ora group director of operations at Taranaki Base Hospital Wendy Langlands apologised for the distress the lengthy delays had caused Shontelle.
"We have reached out to this patient directly to discuss their concerns."
Langlands said wait times for radiology services in Taranaki were longer than Health NZ would like due to significant workforce shortages.
"We are actively recruiting to fill vacant positions. While we do this, we have a plan in place to address outstanding imaging which is affecting these patients and others by the end of this month."
It was not the only issue Shontelle had experienced with radiology services at Base Hospital.
Last year, she had an x-ray done to help diagnose problems she was having with her back. This time the problem was getting the image seen by a radiologist and reported on.
"They originally told me it would be two to three weeks and then I called them and they told me it was going to be eight weeks. I called them again and they told me it was going to be 12 weeks. Next time I called them it was going to be another 12 to 14 weeks.
"So, every time I called them I was getting so frustrated because they kept changing how long it was going to take just to get the damned thing read."
Shontelle end up going back to the private provider she'd used previously to see if they could extract her x-ray images from the hospital.
"Which they were able to do thankfully and then I paid them to read them and get them set to my doctor."
She believed the public system was overwhelmed.
"It's insane. I couldn't believe how long they said it was taking. I know it's not the people who work there's fault, but the system is absolutely broken."
Langlands acknowledged the right of Shontelle to choose a different provider and seek their investigation, treatment, or care in the private sector.
"As always, we encourage patients to reach out to us directly if they have any concerns or questions."
She reassured Taranaki Base Hospital patients a radiology specialist was triaging and prioritising patient test requests.
"The most urgent patients receive the requested diagnostic test, and other patients receive their examinations in turn.
Langlands urged patients who experienced a change in symptoms while waiting for a result, to contact their GP, who could directly call a duty radiologist to speed up the reporting process.
Meanwhile, Apex - the union which represents 1500 radiology technicians nationwide - could see another problem looming.
Local advocate Omar Hamed worried how the new east wing - which is due to be commissioned later this year - would be staffed.
Part of the Project Maunga hospital redevelopment, the east wing would have an additional x-ray machine and a new MRI scanner while the new Emergency Department housed there would have an additional CT scanner.
"Hundreds of millions of dollars to build a really good new part of the hospital... but we run the risk that when it opens towards the end of this year that we won't have the medical imaging professionals recruited into positions who can then staff those machines."
Hamed estimated the new wing would require eight extra nursing FTEs, eight extra CT technician FTEs, 11 extra x-ray technician FTEs, 4.5 extra MRI FTEs and for ultrasound an extra six sonographers.
"We need these by the end of the year in Taranaki. Where's the approval to recruit? Where are the advertisements at? Or are we just going to open this new building and just not have staff to run it. It's just bonkers."
Langlands said Health NZ remained committed to opening the new radiology department as part of the Project Maunga hospital redevelopment.
"We are forward planning to ensure we have the staffing required to meet the needs of this future service."
Langlands said the new wing would house an additional x-ray machine and a new MRI machine, which had the latest software to boost image quality and efficiency and allowed for a minimum of five additional patients to be scanned a day without increasing staffing levels.
An additional CT machine would also be available in the building's new emergency department.
"This will be a new service and a positive addition towards meeting our target of shorter stays in ED," Langlands said.
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