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Source: ONE News -
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A trailblazing health service which treats thousands of at-risk youth in Christchurch is being forced to shut its doors.
After 15 years, the centre, which provides free medical, sexual and mental health services for those under 25, says it is financially insolvent and can no longer operate.
For patients such as Lisa Broomhall, it is a bit of a shock.
"It's free healthcare here (Youth Health Centre). Being on a benefit - it's hard to go to the doctor every time, when you have to go every week," she say.
The Christchurch Youth Health Centre receives 7000 young people for help and treatment each year, that amount is all they are funded to cope with. But the reality, they say, is that the funding is not enough as they have to routinely turn away 5-10 patients each day.
Founding Doctor Sue Bagshaw says the government, through the Canterbury DHB, changed their funding system last year. They have cut into the $700,000 the service needed to stay open.
"It meant we had to dip into our reserves," says Bagshaw.
She says their closure will leave 18 to 25 year-olds with no free care in the city.
"It's going to be very hard 'cause the reason why they're (youth) here is they didn't find anywhere else to go," Bagshaw points out.
The DHB concedes that age group will not be getting the same deal.
"I don't know if we can necessarily provide a free service for those between 18 and 25 but certainly a number of practices do offer a low cost fee," says Alistair James, Canterbury DHB chairman.
But the DHB disputes that it has cut funding by any significant amount, and James wants to form a working group.
"I offered that solution to Dr Bagshaw and asked her to take that to her Trust Board and that I was willing to in fact to lead that group myself," he says.
Bagshaw says she now has concerns for the 14 other similarly-funded centres nationwide.
"What's going to happen to them? What's going to happen to all the young people around the country who can't afford primary healthcare?" she asks.
