ODT: Senior cancer specialist warns pathology services are under pressure as he leaves for Australia

A senior blood cancer diagnostic specialist is leaving New Zealand after more than 33 years at Dunedin Hospital, warning the country's pathology services are under growing strain and that the consequences for patients could be serious.

According to reporting by the Otago Daily Times, Terry Taylor, a former president of the New Zealand Institute of Medical Laboratory Science, says years of workforce shortages, under-resourcing and a lack of national leadership have created an increasingly difficult environment for specialist laboratory staff.

Taylor said his decision to accept a role with Pathology Queensland in Brisbane came after years of advocating for better staffing, training and support for diagnostic laboratory services.

His comments follow a recent Health and Disability Commissioner report into missed cancer diagnoses at Southland Hospital, where failures in pathology services delayed the diagnosis of a retired nurse's cancer before her death. Taylor told the Otago Daily Times he was concerned similar risks could arise elsewhere if longstanding workforce issues remain unresolved.

The Otago Daily Times also reports Taylor has called for a comprehensive review of New Zealand's pathology system, questioning whether the current model provides the governance, workforce planning and long-term investment needed to support high-quality public diagnostic services.

Awanui Laboratories told the newspaper it remains confident in the quality and safety of its services and said it has implemented all recommendations arising from the Health and Disability Commissioner's investigation. Health New Zealand said it continues to work with Awanui and does not intend to undertake a review of pathology services.

Responding to the article, Kaitiaki Hauora spokesperson Dr David Galler said:

"Endstage privatisation funded by our taxes of previously publicly funded and publicly provided health services looks like this."

Dr Galler said Kaitiaki Hauora is calling on Health New Zealand to undertake a formal independent review of laboratory services, with a view to bringing them back into the public health system to better coordinate and deliver high-quality services across the country and rebuild the specialist workforce.

Taylor also expanded on his concerns in a LinkedIn post following publication of the article.

"Our public hospitals have 'public' in their name for a reason. Essential front line diagnostic services are required for virtually all clinical decisions in a hospital. Yet in many public hospitals in NZ we have decisions on what services and the staffing levels needed made by corporate boards who have virtually no affiliation to healthcare provision and in some cases members are based overseas! Go figure how on earth that has been allowed to happen under everyone's eyes in the heart of our publicly funded diagnostic services!"

Taylor's departure follows a growing number of experienced health professionals who have cited workforce pressures, underinvestment and deteriorating working conditions as reasons for leaving New Zealand's public health system.

The full article is behind a paywall at Otago Daily Times. If you have a subscription you can read the full piece here - https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/health/departing-cancer-specialist-cites-worsening-working-environment

Kaitiaki Hauora believes New Zealand needs a health system that invests in its workforce, values specialist expertise and keeps essential public services strong.

Our priorities are clear:

• Fund public health properly so everyone gets care when they need it.

• Honour Te Tiriti by ensuring Māori lead on equity in the health system.

• Keep healthcare public so care stays focused on people, not profit.