article 121465710

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West Coast District Health Board (DHB) has gone further into the red this month to fund its response to the <a href=\\"http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus\\">Covid-19 pandemic</a>.</p>\\n<p>The board heard on Friday that Covid-related expenses had piled an extra $100,000 onto the budget, leading to a deficit of $95,000 for the month.</p>\\n<p>The costs are continuing to come in and DHB is yet to find out if it will to have absorb them, or if the Ministry of Health will pick up the tab.</p>\\n<p>Staff costs accounted for 79 per cent of the Covid spend; information technology including video conferencing and cellular capability took 19 per cent and the remainder went on personal protection gear and clinical supplies.</p>\\n<p><strong>READ MORE:<br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/121412636/hunt-for-covert-covid19-continues-on-the-west-coast?rm=a\\">Hunt for covert Covid-19 continues on the West Coast </a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/121004818/new-west-coast-hospital-to-open-by-august?rm=a\\">New West Coast hospital to open by August </a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120660270/coronavirus-shock-and-sadness-on-the-west-coast-following-new-zealands-first-coronavirus-death?rm=a\\">Coronavirus: 'Shock and sadness' on the West Coast following New Zealand's first coronavirus death</a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/120559437/new-greymouth-hospital-ready-but-may-not-open-until-september?rm=a\\">New Greymouth hospital ready, but may not open until September</a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/118909200/old-xray-gear-concerns-hospital-staff-as-west-coast-town-waits-for-new-facility?rm=a\\">Old X-ray gear concerns hospital staff as West Coast town waits for new facility</a><br> </strong></p>\\n<p>The DHB now has a deficit for the year to date of $835,000 — <span class=\\"deletion-note\\">which is </span>$91,000 more than it had planned to spend.</p>\\n<p>Chairman Rick Barker was uneasy about the deficit creep.</p>\\n<p>\\"We are spending more than we budgeted for ... I find this hard to comprehend ... it's not a norm for me.</p>\\n<p>\\"When we get to set our new budget for the next coming year I want us to be clear that's what we mean and we stick to it .\\"</p>\\n<p>If the board was contemplating spending more than it budgeted for, that should be a conscious process that the Board should be engaged in, Barker said.</p>\\n<p>Finance director Justine White said the DHB had cut its projected deficit back by nearly $1 million last September, as requested, and flagged that as a risk at the time.</p>\\n<p>Staff were trying to be as efficient as possible, and looking at ways to continue some of the new ways of doing things during the shutdown, post-Covid.</p>\\n<p>\\"We are looking at, what are the ways of working that are better for the patient and better financially, and embedding these, and getting into [new hospital] Te Nikau so we can progress some of those changes.\\"</p>\\n<p>Chief executive David Meates said health was one sector that could not simply close its doors.</p>\\n<p>\\"We are demand-driven; legally we must provide care and some events we can't plan for.\\"</p>\\n<p>Trans-Alpine service arrangements with Canterbury DHB helped to smooth over the worst of unplanned costs; it would take only three open-heart surgery cases for the impact to be crippling on the West Coast budget,&nbsp;Meates said.</p>\\n<p>The exercise of estimating health costs had been compared to trying to land a jumbo jet on a postage stamp.</p>\\n<p>The West Coast DHB received $6m in equity funding from the government this month — enough to wipe out its deficit from the previous year.</p>\\n<p>But <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/119514577/12000-monthly-bill-for-lights-and-heating-at-empty-west-coast-hospital\\">delays in opening Te Nikau</a> were causing liquidity problems, and staff were keeping a close eye on them, White said.</p>","sources":[{"source":"Stuff"}],"keywords":[],"authors":[],"contentRequestId":"5cffdf8a8e1ce49d0200f0752fc3d8af","listingId":"202005103871_64874dce090bd1ac57970759ac6db8f5","rawBodyMarkup":"<p>The West Coast District Health Board (DHB) has gone further into the red this month to fund its response to the <a href=\\"http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus\\">Covid-19 pandemic</a>.</p>\\n<p>The board heard on Friday that Covid-related expenses had piled an extra $100,000 onto the budget, leading to a deficit of $95,000 for the month.</p>\\n<p>The costs are continuing to come in and DHB is yet to find out if it will to have absorb them, or if the Ministry of Health will pick up the tab.</p>\\n<p>Staff costs accounted for 79 per cent of the Covid spend; information technology including video conferencing and cellular capability took 19 per cent and the remainder went on personal protection gear and clinical supplies.</p>\\n<p><strong>READ MORE:<br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/121412636/hunt-for-covert-covid19-continues-on-the-west-coast?rm=a\\">Hunt for covert Covid-19 continues on the West Coast </a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/121004818/new-west-coast-hospital-to-open-by-august?rm=a\\">New West Coast hospital to open by August </a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120660270/coronavirus-shock-and-sadness-on-the-west-coast-following-new-zealands-first-coronavirus-death?rm=a\\">Coronavirus: 'Shock and sadness' on the West Coast following New Zealand's first coronavirus death</a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/120559437/new-greymouth-hospital-ready-but-may-not-open-until-september?rm=a\\">New Greymouth hospital ready, but may not open until September</a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/118909200/old-xray-gear-concerns-hospital-staff-as-west-coast-town-waits-for-new-facility?rm=a\\">Old X-ray gear concerns hospital staff as West Coast town waits for new facility</a><br> </strong></p>\\n<p>The DHB now has a deficit for the year to date of $835,000 — <span class=\\"deletion-note\\">which is </span>$91,000 more than it had planned to spend.</p>\\n<p>Chairman Rick Barker was uneasy about the deficit creep.</p>\\n<p>\\"We are spending more than we budgeted for ... I find this hard to comprehend ... it's not a norm for me.</p>\\n<p>\\"When we get to set our new budget for the next coming year I want us to be clear that's what we mean and we stick to it .\\"</p>\\n<p>If the board was contemplating spending more than it budgeted for, that should be a conscious process that the Board should be engaged in, Barker said.</p>\\n<p>Finance director Justine White said the DHB had cut its projected deficit back by nearly $1 million last September, as requested, and flagged that as a risk at the time.</p>\\n<p>Staff were trying to be as efficient as possible, and looking at ways to continue some of the new ways of doing things during the shutdown, post-Covid.</p>\\n<p>\\"We are looking at, what are the ways of working that are better for the patient and better financially, and embedding these, and getting into [new hospital] Te Nikau so we can progress some of those changes.\\"</p>\\n<p>Chief executive David Meates said health was one sector that could not simply close its doors.</p>\\n<p>\\"We are demand-driven; legally we must provide care and some events we can't plan for.\\"</p>\\n<p>Trans-Alpine service arrangements with Canterbury DHB helped to smooth over the worst of unplanned costs; it would take only three open-heart surgery cases for the impact to be crippling on the West Coast budget,&nbsp;Meates said.</p>\\n<p>The exercise of estimating health costs had been compared to trying to land a jumbo jet on a postage stamp.</p>\\n<p>The West Coast DHB received $6m in equity funding from the government this month — enough to wipe out its deficit from the previous year.</p>\\n<p>But <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/119514577/12000-monthly-bill-for-lights-and-heating-at-empty-west-coast-hospital\\">delays in opening Te Nikau</a> were causing liquidity problems, and staff were keeping a close eye on them, White said.</p>","filteredBodyMarkup":"<p>The West Coast District Health Board (DHB) has gone further into the red this month to fund its response to the <a href=\\"http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus\\">Covid-19 pandemic</a>.</p> \\n<p>The board heard on Friday that Covid-related expenses had piled an extra $100,000 onto the budget, leading to a deficit of $95,000 for the month.</p> \\n<p>The costs are continuing to come in and DHB is yet to find out if it will to have absorb them, or if the Ministry of Health will pick up the tab.</p> \\n<p>Staff costs accounted for 79 per cent of the Covid spend; information technology including video conferencing and cellular capability took 19 per cent and the remainder went on personal protection gear and clinical supplies.</p> \\n<p><strong>READ MORE:<br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/121412636/hunt-for-covert-covid19-continues-on-the-west-coast?rm=a\\">Hunt for covert Covid-19 continues on the West Coast </a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/121004818/new-west-coast-hospital-to-open-by-august?rm=a\\">New West Coast hospital to open by August </a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120660270/coronavirus-shock-and-sadness-on-the-west-coast-following-new-zealands-first-coronavirus-death?rm=a\\">Coronavirus: 'Shock and sadness' on the West Coast following New Zealand's first coronavirus death</a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/120559437/new-greymouth-hospital-ready-but-may-not-open-until-september?rm=a\\">New Greymouth hospital ready, but may not open until September</a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/118909200/old-xray-gear-concerns-hospital-staff-as-west-coast-town-waits-for-new-facility?rm=a\\">Old X-ray gear concerns hospital staff as West Coast town waits for new facility</a><br> </strong></p> \\n<p>The DHB now has a deficit for the year to date of $835,000 — $91,000 more than it had planned to spend.</p> \\n<p>Chairman Rick Barker was uneasy about the deficit creep.</p> \\n<p>\\"We are spending more than we budgeted for ... I find this hard to comprehend ... it's not a norm for me.</p> \\n<p>\\"When we get to set our new budget for the next coming year I want us to be clear that's what we mean and we stick to it .\\"</p> \\n<p>If the board was contemplating spending more than it budgeted for, that should be a conscious process that the Board should be engaged in, Barker said.</p> \\n<p>Finance director Justine White said the DHB had cut its projected deficit back by nearly $1 million last September, as requested, and flagged that as a risk at the time.</p> \\n<p>Staff were trying to be as efficient as possible, and looking at ways to continue some of the new ways of doing things during the shutdown, post-Covid.</p> \\n<p>\\"We are looking at, what are the ways of working that are better for the patient and better financially, and embedding these, and getting into [new hospital] Te Nikau so we can progress some of those changes.\\"</p> \\n<p>Chief executive David Meates said health was one sector that could not simply close its doors.</p> \\n<p>\\"We are demand-driven; legally we must provide care and some events we can't plan for.\\"</p> \\n<p>Trans-Alpine service arrangements with Canterbury DHB helped to smooth over the worst of unplanned costs; it would take only three open-heart surgery cases for the impact to be crippling on the West Coast budget,&nbsp;Meates said.</p> \\n<p>The exercise of estimating health costs had been compared to trying to land a jumbo jet on a postage stamp.</p> \\n<p>The West Coast DHB received $6m in equity funding from the government this month — enough to wipe out its deficit from the previous year.</p> \\n<p>But <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/119514577/12000-monthly-bill-for-lights-and-heating-at-empty-west-coast-hospital\\">delays in opening Te Nikau</a> were causing liquidity problems, and staff were keeping a close eye on them, White said.</p>","filterBodyParagraphs":["<p>The West Coast District Health Board (DHB) has gone further into the red this month to fund its response to the <a href=\\"http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus\\">Covid-19 pandemic</a>.</p>","<p>The board heard on Friday that Covid-related expenses had piled an extra $100,000 onto the budget, leading to a deficit of $95,000 for the month.</p>","<p>The costs are continuing to come in and DHB is yet to find out if it will to have absorb them, or if the Ministry of Health will pick up the tab.</p>","<p>Staff costs accounted for 79 per cent of the Covid spend; information technology including video conferencing and cellular capability took 19 per cent and the remainder went on personal protection gear and clinical supplies.</p>","<p><strong>READ MORE:<br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/121412636/hunt-for-covert-covid19-continues-on-the-west-coast?rm=a\\">Hunt for covert Covid-19 continues on the West Coast </a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/121004818/new-west-coast-hospital-to-open-by-august?rm=a\\">New West Coast hospital to open by August </a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120660270/coronavirus-shock-and-sadness-on-the-west-coast-following-new-zealands-first-coronavirus-death?rm=a\\">Coronavirus: 'Shock and sadness' on the West Coast following New Zealand's first coronavirus death</a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/120559437/new-greymouth-hospital-ready-but-may-not-open-until-september?rm=a\\">New Greymouth hospital ready, but may not open until September</a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/118909200/old-xray-gear-concerns-hospital-staff-as-west-coast-town-waits-for-new-facility?rm=a\\">Old X-ray gear concerns hospital staff as West Coast town waits for new facility</a><br> </strong></p>","<p>The DHB now has a deficit for the year to date of $835,000 — $91,000 more than it had planned to spend.</p>","<p>Chairman Rick Barker was uneasy about the deficit creep.</p>","<p>\\"We are spending more than we budgeted for ... I find this hard to comprehend ... it's not a norm for me.</p>","<p>\\"When we get to set our new budget for the next coming year I want us to be clear that's what we mean and we stick to it .\\"</p>","<p>If the board was contemplating spending more than it budgeted for, that should be a conscious process that the Board should be engaged in, Barker said.</p>","<p>Finance director Justine White said the DHB had cut its projected deficit back by nearly $1 million last September, as requested, and flagged that as a risk at the time.</p>","<p>Staff were trying to be as efficient as possible, and looking at ways to continue some of the new ways of doing things during the shutdown, post-Covid.</p>","<p>\\"We are looking at, what are the ways of working that are better for the patient and better financially, and embedding these, and getting into [new hospital] Te Nikau so we can progress some of those changes.\\"</p>","<p>Chief executive David Meates said health was one sector that could not simply close its doors.</p>","<p>\\"We are demand-driven; legally we must provide care and some events we can't plan for.\\"</p>","<p>Trans-Alpine service arrangements with Canterbury DHB helped to smooth over the worst of unplanned costs; it would take only three open-heart surgery cases for the impact to be crippling on the West Coast budget, Meates said.</p>","<p>The exercise of estimating health costs had been compared to trying to land a jumbo jet on a postage stamp.</p>","<p>The West Coast DHB received $6m in equity funding from the government this month — enough to wipe out its deficit from the previous year.</p>","<p>But <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/119514577/12000-monthly-bill-for-lights-and-heating-at-empty-west-coast-hospital\\">delays in opening Te Nikau</a> were causing liquidity problems, and staff were keeping a close eye on them, White said.</p>"],"isPrivate":false,"viewliveFlag":null,"introFlag":null,"signPost":null,"headlineFlags":[],"suppressAds":false,"suppressAdsenseAds":false,"hideSocialBar":false,"desk":null,"info":null,"targetWordCount":0,"currentWordCount":510,"deadLine":null,"review":false,"createdByIngestor":false,"deskType":"production","deskUser":"nicole.mathewson","copiedDetails":[],"provider":null,"quote":null,"quoteByline":null,"expertRating":null,"tagLine":null,"legalStatus":"None","tabletHeadline":null,"displayLeadAssetAboveText":false,"alertSendForBrands":[],"externalCanonicalURL":null,"hideAttribution":false} "},{"id":"35437349080212146777287661256903040118926329213024862225","timestamp":1589065691067,"message":"DEBUG 2020/05/09 23:08:11,066 [Camel (camel-1) thread #1 - GooglePubsubConsumer[stuff.content.cs.asset.published.subscription]] (n.c.s.s.c.s.c.s.LoggingHttpRequestInterceptor.intercept:40) - [asset id 121465710]  Request: PUT https://production-nzcms-internal.fairfaxmedia.co.nz/services/content/v1/article/121465710 | {"assetId":121465710,"headline":"Coronavirus: Covid-19 costs swell West Coast DHB deficit","indexHeadline":"Covid costs swell Coast DHB deficit","byline":"Lois Williams Local democracy reporter","urlSlug":"coronavirus-covid19-costs-swell-west-coast-dhb-deficit","indexIntroText":"The West Coast DHB has gone further into the red this month to fund its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.","activated":false,"hideIdentifier":false,"hideByline":false,"excludeFromWeb":false,"excludeFromTablets":false,"sponsored":false,"advertisement":false,"suppressTimeStamp":false,"stuffNationAssignment":false,"stuffNationContribution":false,"status":"READY","numberOfComments":0,"revisionNumber":0,"adExclusions":[],"seoNoIndex":false,"totalLikes":0,"firstPublishTime":"2020-05-09T23:08:10.612Z","freeMetadata":{"allowComments":false,"keywords":null,"authors":null,"alertSendForBrands":null,"adExclusions":null,"signPost":null,"stuffNationAssignment":false,"sponsored":false,"assetBase36Id":null,"seoNewsKeywords":null,"indexIdentifier":null,"syndicationId":null,"hideSocialBar":false,"deskType":"production","tabletHeadline":null,"excludeFromWeb":false,"listingId":null,"externalCanonicalURL":null,"lastActionPerformed":null,"notes":null,"suppressAdsenseAds":false,"status":null,"hideAttribution":false,"writeOff":null,"advertisement":false,"suppressTimeStamp":false,"activated":false,"quoteByline":null,"headline":null,"legalStatus":null,"assetId":null,"info":null,"hideByline":false,"creationTime":0,"canonicalUrlBrand":null,"indexIntroText":null,"targetWordCount":0,"printSlug":null,"lastBigModificationTime":0,"sslEnabled":false,"byline":null,"hideIdentifier":false,"contentRequestId":null,"seoTitle":null,"urlSlug":null,"createdByIngestor":false,"excludeFromTablets":false,"introFlag":null,"suppressAds":false,"seoDescription":null,"currentWordCount":0,"desk":"ffx-production-desk:CanterburyProd","indexHeadline":null,"identifier":null,"displayLeadAssetAboveText":false,"quote":null,"seoNoIndex":false,"seoStandout":false,"stuffNationContribution":false,"review":false,"mediaAnchorAuthoringPositionsList":null,"sourceSystem":["ffx-sources:Stuff"],"headlineFlags":null,"legacyCategories":null,"mediaAnchorDisplayPositionsList":null,"_discriminator":0,"isPrivate":false,"jcr:mixinTypes":null},"brandsAndCategories":[{"brands":[{"brand":"stuff"}],"categories":[{"category":"nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting"},{"category":"nz/the-press/news/west-coast"},{"category":"nz/the-press/canterbury-top-stories"},{"category":"nz/stuff-homepage"},{"category":"nz/the-press/news"},{"category":"nz/national/health"}]}],"relatedAssets":[{"type":"RelatedImage","assetId":300008721,"href":null,"type":"RelatedImage","captionOverride":"Delays in open Greymouth's new hospital, Te Nikau, have added to the West Coast DHB's financial problems. Pictured is the old Grey Base Hospital and Emergency entrance.","imageTypes":[{"rank":"0","imageCrop":"0,189,2000,1313","imageTypeId":"StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine","urlMap":null},{"rank":"0","imageCrop":"0,85,2000,1417","imageTypeId":"StuffThumbnail","urlMap":null},{"rank":"0","imageCrop":"0,85,2000,1417","imageTypeId":"StuffLandscapeThreeByTwo","urlMap":null},{"rank":"0","imageCrop":"377,0,1623,1503","imageTypeId":"StuffPortrait","urlMap":null},{"rank":"0","imageCrop":"437,0,1563,1503","imageTypeId":"StuffSplash","urlMap":null},{"rank":"0","imageCrop":"0,225,2000,1277","imageTypeId":"StuffBigHeadline","urlMap":null},{"rank":"0","imageCrop":"0,171,2000,1331","imageTypeId":"StuffDefcon","urlMap":null},{"rank":"0","imageCrop":"377,0,1623,1503","imageTypeId":"PosterPortrait","urlMap":null},{"rank":"0","imageCrop":"0,187,2000,1315","imageTypeId":"PosterLandscape","urlMap":null},{"rank":"0","imageCrop":"0,189,2000,1313","imageTypeId":"StuffThumbnailSixteenByNine","urlMap":null}]},{"type":"RelatedHtmlAsset","assetId":300002019,"href":null,"type":"RelatedHtmlAsset"}],"sources":[{"source":"Stuff","tagValue":null,"tagPrefix":null}],"id":121465710,"allowComments":true,"sslEnabled":true,"printSlug":"ldr-covidcosts-10","body":"<p class=\\"info-note\\">☸</p><p>The West Coast District Health Board (DHB) has gone further into the red this month to fund its response to the <a href=\\"http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus\\">Covid-19 pandemic</a>.</p><p>The board heard on Friday that Covid-related expenses had piled an extra $100,000 onto the budget, leading to a deficit of $95,000 for the month.</p><p>The costs are continuing to come in and DHB is yet to find out if it will to have absorb them, or if the Ministry of Health will pick up the tab.</p><p>Staff costs accounted for 79 per cent of the Covid spend; information technology including video conferencing and cellular capability took 19 per cent and the remainder went on personal protection gear and clinical supplies.</p><p><strong>READ MORE:<br />\\n       * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/121412636/hunt-for-covert-covid19-continues-on-the-west-coast?rm=a\\">Hunt for covert Covid-19 continues on the West Coast </a><br />\\n       * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/121004818/new-west-coast-hospital-to-open-by-august?rm=a\\">New West Coast hospital to open by August </a><br />\\n       * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120660270/coronavirus-shock-and-sadness-on-the-west-coast-following-new-zealands-first-coronavirus-death?rm=a\\">Coronavirus: 'Shock and sadness' on the West Coast following New Zealand's first coronavirus death</a><br />\\n       * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/120559437/new-greymouth-hospital-ready-but-may-not-open-until-september?rm=a\\">New Greymouth hospital ready, but may not open until September</a><br />\\n       * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/118909200/old-xray-gear-concerns-hospital-staff-as-west-coast-town-waits-for-new-facility?rm=a\\">Old X-ray gear concerns hospital staff as West Coast town waits for new facility</a><br />\\n</strong></p><p>The DHB now has a deficit for the year to date of $835,000 — <span class=\\"deletion-note\\">which is </span>$91,000 more than it had planned to spend.</p><p>Chairman Rick Barker was uneasy about the deficit creep.</p><p>\\"We are spending more than we budgeted for ... I find this hard to comprehend ... it's not a norm for me.</p><p>\\"When we get to set our new budget for the next coming year I want us to be clear that's what we mean and we stick to it .\\"</p><p>If the board was contemplating spending more than it budgeted for, that should be a conscious process that the Board should be engaged in, Barker said.</p><p>Finance director Justine White said the DHB had cut its projected deficit back by nearly $1 million last September, as requested, and flagged that as a risk at the time.</p><p>Staff were trying to be as efficient as possible, and looking at ways to continue some of the new ways of doing things during the shutdown, post-Covid.</p><p>\\"We are looking at, what are the ways of working that are better for the patient and better financially, and embedding these, and getting into [new hospital] Te Nikau so we can progress some of those changes.\\"</p><p>Chief executive David Meates said health was one sector that could not simply close its doors.</p><p>\\"We are demand-driven; legally we must provide care and some events we can't plan for.\\"</p><p>Trans-Alpine service arrangements with Canterbury DHB helped to smooth over the worst of unplanned costs; it would take only three open-heart surgery cases for the impact to be crippling on the West Coast budget, Meates said.</p><p>The exercise of estimating health costs had been compared to trying to land a jumbo jet on a postage stamp.</p><p>The West Coast DHB received $6m in equity funding from the government this month — enough to wipe out its deficit from the previous year.</p><p>But <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/119514577/12000-monthly-bill-for-lights-and-heating-at-empty-west-coast-hospital\\">delays in opening Te Nikau</a> were causing liquidity problems, and staff were keeping a close eye on them, White said.</p><p class=\\"info-note\\">☸</p>","introFlag":"NONE","headlineFlags":[],"suppressAds":false,"suppressAdsenseAds":false,"hideSocialBar":false,"targetWordCount":0,"currentWordCount":0,"review":false,"createdByIngestor":false,"deskType":"production","legalStatus":"None","displayLeadAssetAboveText":false,"hideAttribution":false,"isPrivate":false} "},{"id":"35437349084672295816993785885210183773456001514220945426","timestamp":1589065691267,"message":"DEBUG 2020/05/09 23:08:11,266 [Camel (camel-1) thread #1 - 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Pictured is the old Grey Base Hospital and Emergency 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West Coast District Health Board (DHB) has gone further into the red this month to fund its response to the <a href=\\"http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus\\">Covid-19 pandemic</a>.</p>\\n<p>The board heard on Friday that Covid-related expenses had piled an extra $100,000 onto the budget, leading to a deficit of $95,000 for the month.</p>\\n<p>The costs are continuing to come in and DHB is yet to find out if it will to have absorb them, or if the Ministry of Health will pick up the tab.</p>\\n<p>Staff costs accounted for 79 per cent of the Covid spend; information technology including video conferencing and cellular capability took 19 per cent and the remainder went on personal protection gear and clinical supplies.</p>\\n<p><strong>READ MORE:<br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/121412636/hunt-for-covert-covid19-continues-on-the-west-coast?rm=a\\">Hunt for covert Covid-19 continues on the West Coast </a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/121004818/new-west-coast-hospital-to-open-by-august?rm=a\\">New West Coast hospital to open by August </a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120660270/coronavirus-shock-and-sadness-on-the-west-coast-following-new-zealands-first-coronavirus-death?rm=a\\">Coronavirus: 'Shock and sadness' on the West Coast following New Zealand's first coronavirus death</a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/120559437/new-greymouth-hospital-ready-but-may-not-open-until-september?rm=a\\">New Greymouth hospital ready, but may not open until September</a><br> * <a href=\\"https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/118909200/old-xray-gear-concerns-hospital-staff-as-west-coast-town-waits-for-new-facility?rm=a\\">Old X-ray gear concerns hospital staff as West Coast town waits for new facility</a><br> </strong></p>\\n<p>The DHB now has a deficit for the year to date of $835,000 — <span class=\\"deletion-note\\">which is </span>$91,000 more than it had planned to spend.</p>\\n<p>Chairman Rick Barker was uneasy about the deficit creep.</p>\\n<p>\\"We are spending more than we budgeted for ... 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\tat nz.co.stuff.service.content.sync.cs.process.AssetVersionOnSaveProcessor.doHandle(AssetVersionOnSaveProcessor.java:43) ~[entrypoints-0.242.jar!/:na]
\tat nz.co.stuff.service.content.sync.cs.process.AssetVersionProcessor.process(AssetVersionProcessor.java:39) ~[entrypoints-0.242.jar!/:na]
\tat nz.co.stuff.service.content.sync.cs.process.AssetVersionProcessor$$FastClassBySpringCGLIB$$e136b78.invoke(<generated>) ~[entrypoints-0.242.jar!/:na]
\tat org.springframework.cglib.proxy.MethodProxy.invoke(MethodProxy.java:218) ~[spring-core-5.1.5.RELEASE.jar!/:5.1.5.RELEASE]
\tat org.springframework.aop.framework.CglibAopProxy$CglibMethodInvocation.invokeJoinpoint(CglibAopProxy.java:749) ~[spring-aop-5.1.5.RELEASE.jar!/:5.1.5.RELEASE]
\tat org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:163) ~[spring-aop-5.1.5.RELEASE.jar!/:5.1.5.RELEASE]
\tat org.springframework.transaction.interceptor.TransactionAspectSupport.invokeWithinTransaction(TransactionAspectSupport.java:294) ~[spring-tx-5.1.5.RELEASE.jar!/:5.1.5.RELEASE]
\tat org.springframework.transaction.interceptor.TransactionInterceptor.invoke(TransactionInterceptor.java:98) ~[spring-tx-5.1.5.RELEASE.jar!/:5.1.5.RELEASE]
\tat org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:186) ~[spring-aop-5.1.5.RELEASE.jar!/:5.1.5.RELEASE]
\tat org.springframework.aop.framework.CglibAopProxy$DynamicAdvisedInterceptor.intercept(CglibAopProxy.java:688) ~[spring-aop-5.1.5.RELEASE.jar!/:5.1.5.RELEASE]
\tat nz.co.stuff.service.content.sync.cs.process.AssetVersionOnSaveProcessor$$EnhancerBySpringCGLIB$$6f87255b.process(<generated>) ~[entrypoints-0.242.jar!/:na]
\tat org.apache.camel.processor.DelegateSyncProcessor.process(DelegateSyncProcessor.java:63) ~[camel-core-2.23.1.jar!/:2.23.1]
\tat org.apache.camel.processor.RedeliveryErrorHandler.process(RedeliveryErrorHandler.java:548) ~[camel-core-2.23.1.jar!/:2.23.1]
\tat org.apache.camel.processor.CamelInternalProcessor.process(CamelInternalProcessor.java:201) ~[camel-core-2.23.1.jar!/:2.23.1]
\tat org.apache.camel.processor.Pipeline.process(Pipeline.java:138) ~[camel-core-2.23.1.jar!/:2.23.1]
\tat org.apache.camel.processor.Pipeline.process(Pipeline.java:101) ~[camel-core-2.23.1.jar!/:2.23.1]
\tat org.apache.camel.processor.CamelInternalProcessor.process(CamelInternalProcessor.java:201) ~[camel-core-2.23.1.jar!/:2.23.1]
\tat org.apache.camel.component.direct.DirectProducer.process(DirectProducer.java:76) ~[camel-core-2.23.1.jar!/:2.23.1]
\tat org.apache.camel.processor.SendProcessor.process(SendProcessor.java:148) ~[camel-core-2.23.1.jar!/:2.23.1]
\tat org.apache.camel.processor.RedeliveryErrorHandler.process(RedeliveryErrorHandler.java:548) ~[camel-core-2.23.1.jar!/:2.23.1]
\tat org.apache.camel.processor.CamelInternalProcessor.process(CamelInternalProcessor.java:201) ~[camel-core-2.23.1.jar!/:2.23.1]
\tat org.apache.camel.processor.Pipeline.process(Pipeline.java:138) ~[camel-core-2.23.1.jar!/:2.23.1]
\tat org.apache.camel.processor.Pipeline.process(Pipeline.java:101) ~[camel-core-2.23.1.jar!/:2.23.1]
\tat org.apache.camel.processor.CamelInternalProcessor.process(CamelInternalProcessor.java:201) ~[camel-core-2.23.1.jar!/:2.23.1]
\tat org.apache.camel.processor.DelegateAsyncProcessor.process(DelegateAsyncProcessor.java:97) ~[camel-core-2.23.1.jar!/:2.23.1]
\tat org.apache.camel.component.google.pubsub.GooglePubsubConsumer$PubsubPoller.run(GooglePubsubConsumer.java:161) ~[camel-google-pubsub-2.23.1.jar!/:2.23.1]
\tat java.base/java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Executors.java:515) ~[na:na]
\tat java.base/java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:264) ~[na:na]
\tat java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1128) ~[na:na]
\tat java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:628) ~[na:na]
\tat java.base/java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:834) ~[na:na]
"},{"id":"35437349104296951591700734249761615853386559639483711521","timestamp":1589065692147,"message":"DEBUG 2020/05/09 23:08:12,147 [Camel (camel-1) thread #2 - GooglePubsubConsumer[stuff.content.cs.asset.saved.subscription]] (o.a.c.c.g.p.GooglePubsubProducer.process:70) - [asset id 121465710]  uploader thread/id: 51 / ID-c3d11bbfc887-1588826815662-0-128061 . api call completed. "},{"id":"35437349133265619604592013710616513889556781235752271906","timestamp":1589065693446,"message":"DEBUG 2020/05/09 23:08:13,446 [Camel (camel-1) thread #1 - GooglePubsubConsumer[stuff.content.cs.asset.published.subscription]] (n.c.s.s.c.s.c.s.LoggingHttpRequestInterceptor.intercept:46) - [asset id 121465710]  Response: 200 OK OK | {"id":121465710,"path":"/content/dam/assets/2/0/b/f/j/i/article","status":"Update","message":"Article updated successfully."} "},{"id":"35437349133287920349790544333758049607829429597258252323","timestamp":1589065693447,"message":"INFO  2020/05/09 23:08:13,447 [Camel (camel-1) thread #1 - GooglePubsubConsumer[stuff.content.cs.asset.published.subscription]] (n.c.s.s.c.s.c.CsSyncRouteManager.log:159) - [asset id 121465710]  Publishing CQ asset. Article(id=121465710, allowComments=true, sslEnabled=true, printSlug=ldr-covidcosts-10, body=<p>The West Coast District Health Board (DHB) has gone further into the red this month to fund its response to the <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus">Covid-19 pandemic</a>.</p>
<p>The board heard on Friday that Covid-related expenses had piled an extra $100,000 onto the budget, leading to a deficit of $95,000 for the month.</p>
<p>The costs are continuing to come in and DHB is yet to find out if it will to have absorb them, or if the Ministry of Health will pick up the tab.</p>
<p>Staff costs accounted for 79 per cent of the Covid spend; information technology including video conferencing and cellular capability took 19 per cent and the remainder went on personal protection gear and clinical supplies.</p>
<p><strong>READ MORE:<br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/121412636/hunt-for-covert-covid19-continues-on-the-west-coast?rm=a">Hunt for covert Covid-19 continues on the West Coast </a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/121004818/new-west-coast-hospital-to-open-by-august?rm=a">New West Coast hospital to open by August </a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120660270/coronavirus-shock-and-sadness-on-the-west-coast-following-new-zealands-first-coronavirus-death?rm=a">Coronavirus: 'Shock and sadness' on the West Coast following New Zealand's first coronavirus death</a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/120559437/new-greymouth-hospital-ready-but-may-not-open-until-september?rm=a">New Greymouth hospital ready, but may not open until September</a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/118909200/old-xray-gear-concerns-hospital-staff-as-west-coast-town-waits-for-new-facility?rm=a">Old X-ray gear concerns hospital staff as West Coast town waits for new facility</a><br> </strong></p>
<p>The DHB now has a deficit for the year to date of $835,000 — <span class="deletion-note">which is </span>$91,000 more than it had planned to spend.</p>
<p>Chairman Rick Barker was uneasy about the deficit creep.</p>
<p>"We are spending more than we budgeted for ... I find this hard to comprehend ... it's not a norm for me.</p>
<p>"When we get to set our new budget for the next coming year I want us to be clear that's what we mean and we stick to it ."</p>
<p>If the board was contemplating spending more than it budgeted for, that should be a conscious process that the Board should be engaged in, Barker said.</p>
<p>Finance director Justine White said the DHB had cut its projected deficit back by nearly $1 million last September, as requested, and flagged that as a risk at the time.</p>
<p>Staff were trying to be as efficient as possible, and looking at ways to continue some of the new ways of doing things during the shutdown, post-Covid.</p>
<p>"We are looking at, what are the ways of working that are better for the patient and better financially, and embedding these, and getting into [new hospital] Te Nikau so we can progress some of those changes."</p>
<p>Chief executive David Meates said health was one sector that could not simply close its doors.</p>
<p>"We are demand-driven; legally we must provide care and some events we can't plan for."</p>
<p>Trans-Alpine service arrangements with Canterbury DHB helped to smooth over the worst of unplanned costs; it would take only three open-heart surgery cases for the impact to be crippling on the West Coast budget, Meates said.</p>
<p>The exercise of estimating health costs had been compared to trying to land a jumbo jet on a postage stamp.</p>
<p>The West Coast DHB received $6m in equity funding from the government this month — enough to wipe out its deficit from the previous year.</p>
<p>But <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/119514577/12000-monthly-bill-for-lights-and-heating-at-empty-west-coast-hospital">delays in opening Te Nikau</a> were causing liquidity problems, and staff were keeping a close eye on them, White said.</p>, keywords=[], authors=[], contentRequestId=5cffdf8a8e1ce49d0200f0752fc3d8af, listingId=202005103871_64874dce090bd1ac57970759ac6db8f5, rawBodyMarkup=<p>The West Coast District Health Board (DHB) has gone further into the red this month to fund its response to the <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus">Covid-19 pandemic</a>.</p>
<p>The board heard on Friday that Covid-related expenses had piled an extra $100,000 onto the budget, leading to a deficit of $95,000 for the month.</p>
<p>The costs are continuing to come in and DHB is yet to find out if it will to have absorb them, or if the Ministry of Health will pick up the tab.</p>
<p>Staff costs accounted for 79 per cent of the Covid spend; information technology including video conferencing and cellular capability took 19 per cent and the remainder went on personal protection gear and clinical supplies.</p>
<p><strong>READ MORE:<br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/121412636/hunt-for-covert-covid19-continues-on-the-west-coast?rm=a">Hunt for covert Covid-19 continues on the West Coast </a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/121004818/new-west-coast-hospital-to-open-by-august?rm=a">New West Coast hospital to open by August </a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120660270/coronavirus-shock-and-sadness-on-the-west-coast-following-new-zealands-first-coronavirus-death?rm=a">Coronavirus: 'Shock and sadness' on the West Coast following New Zealand's first coronavirus death</a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/120559437/new-greymouth-hospital-ready-but-may-not-open-until-september?rm=a">New Greymouth hospital ready, but may not open until September</a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/118909200/old-xray-gear-concerns-hospital-staff-as-west-coast-town-waits-for-new-facility?rm=a">Old X-ray gear concerns hospital staff as West Coast town waits for new facility</a><br> </strong></p>
<p>The DHB now has a deficit for the year to date of $835,000 — <span class="deletion-note">which is </span>$91,000 more than it had planned to spend.</p>
<p>Chairman Rick Barker was uneasy about the deficit creep.</p>
<p>"We are spending more than we budgeted for ... I find this hard to comprehend ... it's not a norm for me.</p>
<p>"When we get to set our new budget for the next coming year I want us to be clear that's what we mean and we stick to it ."</p>
<p>If the board was contemplating spending more than it budgeted for, that should be a conscious process that the Board should be engaged in, Barker said.</p>
<p>Finance director Justine White said the DHB had cut its projected deficit back by nearly $1 million last September, as requested, and flagged that as a risk at the time.</p>
<p>Staff were trying to be as efficient as possible, and looking at ways to continue some of the new ways of doing things during the shutdown, post-Covid.</p>
<p>"We are looking at, what are the ways of working that are better for the patient and better financially, and embedding these, and getting into [new hospital] Te Nikau so we can progress some of those changes."</p>
<p>Chief executive David Meates said health was one sector that could not simply close its doors.</p>
<p>"We are demand-driven; legally we must provide care and some events we can't plan for."</p>
<p>Trans-Alpine service arrangements with Canterbury DHB helped to smooth over the worst of unplanned costs; it would take only three open-heart surgery cases for the impact to be crippling on the West Coast budget, Meates said.</p>
<p>The exercise of estimating health costs had been compared to trying to land a jumbo jet on a postage stamp.</p>
<p>The West Coast DHB received $6m in equity funding from the government this month — enough to wipe out its deficit from the previous year.</p>
<p>But <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/119514577/12000-monthly-bill-for-lights-and-heating-at-empty-west-coast-hospital">delays in opening Te Nikau</a> were causing liquidity problems, and staff were keeping a close eye on them, White said.</p>, filteredBodyMarkup=<p>The West Coast District Health Board (DHB) has gone further into the red this month to fund its response to the <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus">Covid-19 pandemic</a>.</p> 
<p>The board heard on Friday that Covid-related expenses had piled an extra $100,000 onto the budget, leading to a deficit of $95,000 for the month.</p> 
<p>The costs are continuing to come in and DHB is yet to find out if it will to have absorb them, or if the Ministry of Health will pick up the tab.</p> 
<p>Staff costs accounted for 79 per cent of the Covid spend; information technology including video conferencing and cellular capability took 19 per cent and the remainder went on personal protection gear and clinical supplies.</p> 
<p><strong>READ MORE:<br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/121412636/hunt-for-covert-covid19-continues-on-the-west-coast?rm=a">Hunt for covert Covid-19 continues on the West Coast </a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/121004818/new-west-coast-hospital-to-open-by-august?rm=a">New West Coast hospital to open by August </a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120660270/coronavirus-shock-and-sadness-on-the-west-coast-following-new-zealands-first-coronavirus-death?rm=a">Coronavirus: 'Shock and sadness' on the West Coast following New Zealand's first coronavirus death</a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/120559437/new-greymouth-hospital-ready-but-may-not-open-until-september?rm=a">New Greymouth hospital ready, but may not open until September</a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/118909200/old-xray-gear-concerns-hospital-staff-as-west-coast-town-waits-for-new-facility?rm=a">Old X-ray gear concerns hospital staff as West Coast town waits for new facility</a><br> </strong></p> 
<p>The DHB now has a deficit for the year to date of $835,000 — $91,000 more than it had planned to spend.</p> 
<p>Chairman Rick Barker was uneasy about the deficit creep.</p> 
<p>"We are spending more than we budgeted for ... I find this hard to comprehend ... it's not a norm for me.</p> 
<p>"When we get to set our new budget for the next coming year I want us to be clear that's what we mean and we stick to it ."</p> 
<p>If the board was contemplating spending more than it budgeted for, that should be a conscious process that the Board should be engaged in, Barker said.</p> 
<p>Finance director Justine White said the DHB had cut its projected deficit back by nearly $1 million last September, as requested, and flagged that as a risk at the time.</p> 
<p>Staff were trying to be as efficient as possible, and looking at ways to continue some of the new ways of doing things during the shutdown, post-Covid.</p> 
<p>"We are looking at, what are the ways of working that are better for the patient and better financially, and embedding these, and getting into [new hospital] Te Nikau so we can progress some of those changes."</p> 
<p>Chief executive David Meates said health was one sector that could not simply close its doors.</p> 
<p>"We are demand-driven; legally we must provide care and some events we can't plan for."</p> 
<p>Trans-Alpine service arrangements with Canterbury DHB helped to smooth over the worst of unplanned costs; it would take only three open-heart surgery cases for the impact to be crippling on the West Coast budget, Meates said.</p> 
<p>The exercise of estimating health costs had been compared to trying to land a jumbo jet on a postage stamp.</p> 
<p>The West Coast DHB received $6m in equity funding from the government this month — enough to wipe out its deficit from the previous year.</p> 
<p>But <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/119514577/12000-monthly-bill-for-lights-and-heating-at-empty-west-coast-hospital">delays in opening Te Nikau</a> were causing liquidity problems, and staff were keeping a close eye on them, White said.</p>, filterBodyParagraphs=[<p>The West Coast District Health Board (DHB) has gone further into the red this month to fund its response to the <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus">Covid-19 pandemic</a>.</p>, <p>The board heard on Friday that Covid-related expenses had piled an extra $100,000 onto the budget, leading to a deficit of $95,000 for the month.</p>, <p>The costs are continuing to come in and DHB is yet to find out if it will to have absorb them, or if the Ministry of Health will pick up the tab.</p>, <p>Staff costs accounted for 79 per cent of the Covid spend; information technology including video conferencing and cellular capability took 19 per cent and the remainder went on personal protection gear and clinical supplies.</p>, <p><strong>READ MORE:<br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/121412636/hunt-for-covert-covid19-continues-on-the-west-coast?rm=a">Hunt for covert Covid-19 continues on the West Coast </a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/121004818/new-west-coast-hospital-to-open-by-august?rm=a">New West Coast hospital to open by August </a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120660270/coronavirus-shock-and-sadness-on-the-west-coast-following-new-zealands-first-coronavirus-death?rm=a">Coronavirus: 'Shock and sadness' on the West Coast following New Zealand's first coronavirus death</a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/120559437/new-greymouth-hospital-ready-but-may-not-open-until-september?rm=a">New Greymouth hospital ready, but may not open until September</a><br> * <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/118909200/old-xray-gear-concerns-hospital-staff-as-west-coast-town-waits-for-new-facility?rm=a">Old X-ray gear concerns hospital staff as West Coast town waits for new facility</a><br> </strong></p>, <p>The DHB now has a deficit for the year to date of $835,000 — $91,000 more than it had planned to spend.</p>, <p>Chairman Rick Barker was uneasy about the deficit creep.</p>, <p>"We are spending more than we budgeted for ... I find this hard to comprehend ... it's not a norm for me.</p>, <p>"When we get to set our new budget for the next coming year I want us to be clear that's what we mean and we stick to it ."</p>, <p>If the board was contemplating spending more than it budgeted for, that should be a conscious process that the Board should be engaged in, Barker said.</p>, <p>Finance director Justine White said the DHB had cut its projected deficit back by nearly $1 million last September, as requested, and flagged that as a risk at the time.</p>, <p>Staff were trying to be as efficient as possible, and looking at ways to continue some of the new ways of doing things during the shutdown, post-Covid.</p>, <p>"We are looking at, what are the ways of working that are better for the patient and better financially, and embedding these, and getting into [new hospital] Te Nikau so we can progress some of those changes."</p>, <p>Chief executive David Meates said health was one sector that could not simply close its doors.</p>, <p>"We are demand-driven; legally we must provide care and some events we can't plan for."</p>, <p>Trans-Alpine service arrangements with Canterbury DHB helped to smooth over the worst of unplanned costs; it would take only three open-heart surgery cases for the impact to be crippling on the West Coast budget, Meates said.</p>, <p>The exercise of estimating health costs had been compared to trying to land a jumbo jet on a postage stamp.</p>, <p>The West Coast DHB received $6m in equity funding from the government this month — enough to wipe out its deficit from the previous year.</p>, <p>But <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/119514577/12000-monthly-bill-for-lights-and-heating-at-empty-west-coast-hospital">delays in opening Te Nikau</a> were causing liquidity problems, and staff were keeping a close eye on them, White said.</p>], isPrivate=false, viewliveFlag=null, introFlag=null, signPost=null, headlineFlags=[], suppressAds=false, suppressAdsenseAds=false, hideSocialBar=false, desk=null, info=null, targetWordCount=0, currentWordCount=511, deadLine=null, review=false, createdByIngestor=false, deskType=production, deskUser=nicole.mathewson, copiedDetails=[], provider=null, quote=null, quoteByline=null, expertRating=nul