The recruitment of new doctors to Marlborough’s Urgent Care Centre aims to relieve pressure on the emergency department at Wairau hospital, which is facing both staff shortages and high numbers of incoming patients.
Senior ED doctor Kay Hall told One News on Sunday “I’ll be honest... I can see our department collapsing,” with Dr Nikki Rolton adding that “patients may die,” if changes were not made.
The Wairau Hospital doctors explained this was a result of heavy workloads, lack of funding for additional staff and the unique challenges of Marlborough’s ageing population.
Marlborough Primary Health Chief Executive Beth Tester says that the hiring of three new Urgent Care staff members will contribute to the centre’s ability to deliver acute and complex medical care, stabilise seriously unwell patients and provide advanced life support, taking pressure off the ED where possible.
One full-time doctor joined the centre on Tuesday, with an additional doctor due to arrive in April 2027. A third extended care paramedic will also start in March 2027.
Urgent Care Centre Medical Director Dr Jordan Gibbs says the Urgent Care and the ED work in conjunction with each other, with Urgent Care also able to relieve the ED of patients with non-life-threatening injuries.
“We have huge respect for our colleagues in ED and value our strong relationship. We meet regularly and are actively planning how we can smooth the workflow in both directions. That means lower-acuity patients, such as people with minor sprains, come to us, and patients with more serious needs go to ED.”
