帕尔默斯顿北医院由于人员短缺而面临严重的结肠镜延迟. Palmerston North Hospital faces severe colonoscopy delays due to staff shortages.

帕尔默斯顿北医院的胃肠病科目前只有两名全职专家, 与七年前相比减少了数量, 这导致治疗严重延误. Palmerston North Hospital’s gastroenterology department is operating with only two full-time specialists, down from seven years ago, causing severe delays in care. 患者需要等待一年多的结肠镜检查和六个月的急诊内镜检测, 而一般医生则难以找到专家. Patients face waits over a year for colonoscopies and six months for urgent endoscopies, while GPs struggle to access specialists. 卫生部正在通过外包程序和招聘工作人员来管理危机, 但全科医生警告说患者安全处于风险之中. Health NZ is managing the crisis by outsourcing procedures and recruiting staff, but GPs warn patient safety is at risk.