Annabelle Jackman
As many as 10,000 people have marched through Dunedin to protest against the possible closure of the region's brain surgery unit at Dunedin Hospital.
The marchers had a clear message for the Government: drop any idea of moving the neuro-surgery unit to Christchurch.
Dunedin's main street became a sea of faces at lunchtime as thousands from all over Otago and Southland put aside tomorrow's Ranfurly Shield rivalry to protest.
The issues gathered huge momentum in the south. Hundreds turned out at a meeting last night, even the regions two newspapers - usually fierce rivals - have combined to fight the move.
For Charlotte Young taking part in the rally had special meaning.
She had neurosurgery at Dunedin Hospital last year to remove an egg-sized tumor from her brain.
She suffered complications five days later and says if her surgeon been a five-hour drive away in Christchurch things could have been much worse.
“Its is a major operation and knowing that if you have concerns or your experiencing problems that you can access medical help is really important,” she says.
Others argue that the extra couple of hours critically injured patients spent being helicoptered from as far as Invercargill and Queenstown to Christchurch instead of Dunedin will cost lives.
“We think that worse neurological outcome for example disability or death is a distinct possibility if there’s extra delays when urgent neurosurgery is required,” says neurologist Nick Cutfiled.
It could also set a precedent for the dismantling of other vital services at Dunedin.
Health Minister Tony Ryall may already be having second thoughts. Even before today's rally, he's on the record as saying he would take “a lot of convincing” that the south's neurosurgical service should be moved Christchurch.
3 News