The persistent pain service is experiencing a significant workforce deficit and are currently limited in service availability and oversight.
This is a multi-disciplinary service, involving senior medical officer pain specialists and several allied health and nursing professionals. However, for first specialist appointments and intervention to be offered, they require some core roles to be available.
Unfortunately, the service is currently not in a position to offer first specialist appointments (FSAs) and as such the team has limited availability for new referrals.
This situation has been escalated through Te Whatu Ora and all efforts are being made to find solutions. The current focus will be on managing the waitlist, with a focus on identifying high risk and urgent cases.
The team ask for your understanding during this time as they finalise a plan they will communicate to referrers as soon as possible, including options of alternative referral pathways.
If you have any specific concerns you need to escalate, please contact Katy Sheffield, Te Whatu Ora Taranaki director allied health, in the first instance.
Te Pae Tata was launched by the health minister in Taupō last week. It is the first New Zealand Health Plan published under the new Pae Ora legislation.
Read moreDr Neil de Wet is the new Te Whatu Ora Taranaki medical officer of health. Dr Jonathan Jarman finished in this role as of 27 February.
Read moreLearn more about the vision, priorities and activities for the Tūwharetoa locality, one the nine locality prototypes nationwide.
Read moreWaikato DHB has made a report available to PHOs illustrating the average wait times (in days) for first specialist appointments (FSA) in secondary care.