It’s quite strange to know that bed occupancy at Lakes District Hospital Frankton is continuously increasing since last four months. According to Southern District Health Board Chairman Joe Butterfield, there seems to be a remarkable increase in number of patients getting admitted to this hospital. Noticing such a fact, he however had asked the hospitals' advisory committee to consider the trend.

During a meeting in Invercargill on Wednesday, a graph was presented to the committee. This was in regard of the occupancy rate and after studying the same, it has been revealed out that occupancy rate has increased from 65% in February to 80% in March.

It is for the first time in last nine months of this financial year, that this rate has touched such a level. During other months it was calculated between 46% and 67%. Besides, last year it was recorded as 51% for the whole year, whereas till now the average rate for this year has already reached to 61%.

Such an increase in the bed occupancy in Lakes District hospital and that too in a few months time is a matter of great concern.

In this regard, Southern District Health Board Chief Executive, Brian Rousseau said, "Lakes is better staffed than other rural hospitals and that's what this health review is all about, they have eight emergency department doctors and 17.9 fulltime nurses. If you talk to other rural hospitals and see the volumes they do for the amount of staffing we fund, they do more with less".