Whakatāne's loss, Masterton's gain: The musical chairs of medical scanning
Residents of Whakatāne are frustrated by the lack of an MRI scanner at their local hospital, despite years of promises and a major facility upgrade. The equipment intended for the region has reportedly been diverted to Masterton, forcing patients to travel long distances for essential medical imaging.
Why it matters
This highlights systemic issues in healthcare resource allocation and the impact of administrative failures on patient care and accessibility.
Whakatāne has waited years for a medical MRI scanner , but it has somehow ended up in Masterton.
Residents from the eastern end of Bay of Plenty must still travel to Tauranga for a scan in one of its seven MRI machines, all privately owned.
Health NZ says it is working on a plan for Whakatāne - but its last one failed.
June Goodhew says it has dragged on long enough.
In May, the 85-year-old retired tutor was given a packed lunch at Whakatāne Hospital and sat in an ambulance headed for Tauranga and an MRI.
"I really felt sorry for her because, you know, she was in pain," said Goodhew.
"From 11 o'clock till 5pm, it was quite a long day for people that are unwell. I imagine the cost of our travel, plus nurse and driver, would have been large, plus, well, not good for those in pain."
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