Health NZ has apologised for failing to communicate with more than 800 people whose surveillance colonoscopy procedures were paused at Palmerston North Hospital in 2024.
Dr Richard Sullivan, Health NZ's executive national director for clinical, told a public meeting officials needed to do better. The meeting, organised by the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, was called to discuss gastroenterology staffing at the hospital, which has no permanent specialist doctors and relies on locums and temporary specialists.
Malcolm Mulholland from Patient Voice Aotearoa, who received a letter in 2024 promising an update in 2025 that never arrived, said "the other part of the apology that I was wanting to hear is what's the plan moving forward? It's been 18 months since we've heard anything from Health New Zealand."
Mulholland, who is at higher risk of developing bowel cancer, said affected patients needed to know their status. "There would be still patients out there waiting of those 800 people who were notified they would no longer receive a surveillance colonoscopy, who would be wondering, 'Am I in trouble here?'" Private colonoscopy procedures cost between $5000 and $10,000.
Chris Lowry, Health NZ's central region executive regional director, said the organisation had noted the feedback about poor communication with patients and GPs, and would provide an update to both groups shortly.
In early May, 239 people were waiting for surveillance colonoscopies through Palmerston North Hospital, with 161 waiting beyond the recommended 84-day timeframe. A further 247 symptomatic patients were waiting for colonoscopy procedures, with 161 exceeding the recommended 42-day timeframe.
The hospital also delayed lowering the bowel screening age from 60 to 58 until 1 July, instead of March as expected. Lowry said this allowed time to ensure the MidCentral district could accommodate additional follow-up appointments after participants returned positive screening tests.