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A shamble over the
testing of blood samples in Auckland has claimed
its first big casualty.
Just 35 days after Labtests opened its doors, the organisation's
chief executive, Ulf Lindskog, has been stood down.
Lindskog's departure was announced on Monday afternoon by his boss from Healthscope, Labtests' parent company, who rushed over from Australia.
Dr Michael Coglin, Healthscope's chief medical officer, says the company needs a different set of skills, particularly around clinical communication and clinical credibility.
Healthscope's Chief Operating Officer of Pathology, Paul Waterson, has taken over the role of Labtests' CEO, Coglin says.
ONE News understands Labtests was forced to cut Lindskog loose, even though the company puts a different spin on it.
"Ulf isn't leaving the company; he's a very valuable employee. He's returning to our head office in Melbourne," Coglin says.
The new blood testing service in Auckland is under so much
pressure, Labtests has had to accept help from a team of
trouble-shooters brought in by the District Health Board for the
first time in its 70 years of operation.
The audit team of six health officials will handle quality and
safety issues. The team will be in place for the next four
weeks.
But Coglin says pressure was not the reason the DHB team stepped in.
"I don't call that pressure, I call that a mature and supportive relationship."
Pat Snedden, Auckland DHB chair, says he is confident the support from the DHB will help Labtests get settled.
But some GPs, including Auckland GP Dr Ian Rapson, are worried that it is going to take more than trouble-shooters to fix problems like botched test results.
"They're not going to be able to be checking every lab result to make sure that a female patient's blood results don't get mixed up with a male. They won't be checking that tests that we have ordered, but not done, happen," he says.
But Labtests is promising change.
It has urgently implemented a 24-hour-seven-day-a-week hotline exclusively for doctors with access to Labtests' pathologists, after concerns by doctors that they had to access pathologists and scientific staff through the call centre.
There is also now a dedicated line for doctors to access test results.
All doctors can do for now is hope the new measures are enough.
"I have significant concerns and I don't want to wait until there is a catastrophe," Rapson says.
And the government is making sure there is no catastrophe. Health Minister Tony Ryall has sent down a team to make sure Labtests is up to date.
But GPs say that is Labtests doesn't up its game within a month, they will ask the government to review Labtests contract.
Have you had recent dealings with Labtest? How have your
experiences been? ONE News would like to hear from you.
Email
news@tvnz.co.nz
