Wānaka's late night nurse service to be located at aged care home

Wānaka's new after hours health service will operate out of an aged care facility.

In a statement today, Health New Zealand says the service, set to start in September, will be located at the Aspiring Enliven Care Centre on Cardrona Valley Road alongside the Wānaka Lakes Health Centre.

"It will include two clinic rooms in a secure facility with accessible car parking," the statement says.

"The location is an ideal choice with other clinical staff in close proximity in the event of an emergency."

An exact opening date and how much the service will cost users remain unknown.

However, the service will be led by nurses, who will work with remote support from the overnight doctor based at Dunstan Hospital in Clyde.

Dunstan Hospital is run by Central Otago Health Services Limited, a community owned, not-for-profit company.

Its chief executive officer, Hayley Anderson, is happy to support the Health New Zealand initiative.

“I know how hard the community has been advocating for improved access to health care in Wānaka and, alongside my Health New Zealand colleagues, I am proud we are able to support the community with this important after hours primary care service," she says in the statement provided by Health New Zealand.

"I look forward to our team working closely with our local primary care and Hato Hone St John colleagues from this central Wānaka location.”

Health New Zealand says the recruitment of clinical nurse specialists to staff the service is progressing and it is on track for the flagged September opening.

It describes the set-up as an "interim solution" while a longer-term region-wide model for after hours care is worked on. 

Main image (Eldernet): Nurses based out of the Aspiring Enliven Care Centre on Cardrona Valley Road will provide much-demanded after hours health care in Wānaka.