Southland town fundraising to keep nurse at medical centre

The small Southland town of Nightcaps is hoping to raise more than $15,000 to keep a nurse at the local medical centre.

The nurse at the Nightcaps Medical Centre was funded by WellSouth Primary Health Network for 20 hours a week until March.

While the Otautau Medical Trust will cover the cost of 10 hours per week, Nightcaps Community Medical Trust chair James Dixon is hoping to fundraise enough money to maintain the service the town has had for the last 35 years.

He told Checkpoint that the fundraiser only had a little bit of interest so far, but locals had not yet felt the loss of any service.

"There's some level of disappointment or annoyance that it's been reduced... when it's been going for so long," he said.

"I haven't really sort of gone door knocking to, I suppose, some better off people who might be more willing or able to help out."

Dixon did not want to criticise WellSouth. "I'm sure they're trying their best," he said.

However, he was concerned that it may add pressure to the ambulance service.

"Well, Otautau... is 20 kilometres south of us, but the wider farming community could be 40 kilometres to Otautau.

"The other risk, I think, is that organisations such as St John's, with the ambulance, they might get increasing calls from this area."