Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey is urging the Minister of Health to not renege on the Canterbury District Health Board’s (CDHB) commitment to a promised seven-day integrated family health service (IFHC) that will provide after-hours healthcare to Waimakariri residents.

“I will be urgently writing to Health Minister Andrew Little on behalf of Sandi McLean, who led our community’s petition for after-hours healthcare, to request that, with the abolishment of our DHB, Waimakariri’s promised IFHC stays on track,” said Doocey.

“Our community fought for years to get the CDHB to agree to this. Sandi and David McLean presented our community’s petition to the CDHB at a public meeting I called in Rangiora in 2019. At that meeting, we got a commitment to after-hours healthcare in Waimakariri.

“I met this month with CDHB CEO Peter Bramley to be updated on progress and was assured it was locked in and going ahead. We are already behind on works starting, with the centre having been expected to be open this year.

“Many in our community, including Sandi, will be wondering what impact today’s announcement will have on the delivery of our seven-day centre. I will be fighting to ensure we don’t miss out under these new changes. Our community is out of patience for further delays,” said Doocey.