We are delighted to advise that we have been working with the Health New Zealand (HNZ) Ear Nose & Throat (ENT) Service in Dunedin and have opened a new service at Dunstan Hospital.

Stories like this are why local healthcare matters. In this reflection, Dr Trevor Lloyd writes about Donny, a high country farmer, former All Black, and larger-than-life local character whose resilience on the land was matched only by his reluctance to admit pain. From quad bike accidents to kidney stones to critical infection, Donny’s story reveals something fundamental about rural medicine: care close to home is deeply personal.

Kayla Sargeant, our Head of Foundation Marketing & Engagement, reflects on her recent visit to Teviot Valley.

This year marks a remarkable milestone for Trevor Lloyd, one of Dunstan Hospital’s senior clinicians. Trevor has just renewed his medical registration for the 50th time, with 26 of those years spent caring for patients at Dunstan Hospital.

A showcase of grassroots fundraising that continues to demonstrate what’s possible when people rally around better health outcomes for their community.

For the Pittaway family, their lived experience ultimately inspired a generous and lasting gift, one that transformed the Vincent Ward reception into a calmer, more welcoming space for every patient and visitor who arrives at Dunstan Hospital.

Kaiamio stands to remind us that even when we are faced with immense adversity, with the support of Whanau and the Whanau of Dunstan Hospital the people of the land can feel at ease, they have expertise at hand, a place to rest if needed and the facilities to cope with the Taniwha that arise.

As Central Otago and the Upper Clutha face mounting health-service inequities and rapid population growth, a new charitable trust has been launched to protect and expand the region’s publicly funded, but community owned, rural hospital.

Demand for this critical service has grown rapidly, and over the past year we’ve worked with the HNZ Gastroenterology team in Dunedin to expand capacity from one to three clinic days per month, ensuring more people across Central Otago and the wider southern region can access care closer to home.

In a region defined by distance, community, and rugged landscapes, healthcare looks a little different. For many people in Central Otago, the most important care they’ll receive doesn’t happen inside a hospital, it happens at home.

As Clinical Director at Dunstan Hospital, Dr Jonathon Wills leads with calm clarity and deep care. After a decade of service, he took a sabbatical to Rarotonga to explore renewal, balance, and purposeful leadership.

Each year, Dunstan delivers an expanding number of specialist services. Demand is growing rapidly, as People and Specialist Services Director Catherine Haig explains.

From gold rush beginnings to its role today as a rural lifeline, Dunstan Hospital’s story is one of grit, generosity, and community leadership, a 160-year legacy now carried forward by the Dunstan Hospital Foundation.

Visitors to Dunstan Hospital are greeted by beautifully maintained grounds, green lawns and tidy gardens reflecting the care within. Few realise this is thanks to a special partnership with Fulton Hogan that has quietly flourished for a decade.

For more than a century, Dunstan Hospital has been caring for the people of Central Otago. Clinical Director Dr Jonathon Wills, shares how that legacy is evolving to meet the needs of a growing region.

As an oncologist working with patients across Otago and Southland, Dr Blair McLaren knows how difficult a cancer diagnosis can be, not just for patients, but for their families.

When Central Otago local Chris Flannery was told he had stage four melanoma, life changed overnight. What began as a routine mole removal quickly turned into major surgery and two years of ongoing treatment.

As the Patron of the Dunstan Hospital Foundation, Sam is helping ensure that world-class care remains close to home for everyone in Central Otago.

For more than a decade, Annette has been the friendly force behind one of Dunstan Hospital’s most vital community services , Meals on Wheels. From her base in Alexandra, she coordinates a small army of volunteers who deliver not only hot meals, but also warmth, connection, and care to people across Central Otago.