In what may sound utterly eccentric, Southland hospital is urging the residents of Invercargill not to visit the department until there’s an acute emergency.

The request is being made as the emergency department has gaps in shifts.

The hospital is reportedly working in an unstable situation. It is under more than usual pressure at the moment on account of staff shortages.

Though the hospital has four permanent senior trauma surgeons, it still lacks another two and is also out of sorts for locums (temporary employees).

The Southern District Health Board is not in a very commanding position and it cannot afford overloading its emergency department gratuitously.

However, it was within the board's budget to appoint locums and no cuts were made to that expenditure. Still, it was tough to hire and retain locums in the south.

Southland Hospital is advising patients to catch their GP or after hours doctor facilities, so that its emergency department is available for critical and genuine emergencies.

Dr. David Tulloch, the Chief Medical Officer for Southern DHB, said, “If all of a sudden locum pulls out at short notice, then you have unroasted spaces and no senior cover, therefore there is a clinical risk".

He held the opinion that it is a national concern as there is a shortage of senior emergency staff, so hospitals are upheld by plenty on locums.