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ESTHER ASHBY-COVENTRY

Last updated15:00, March 10 2017

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Arthritis sufferers in South Canterbury will only be able to contact Arthritis New Zealand via online or telephone from the end of March when its office in Timaru closes.

Another not for profit organisation is closing its office doors in Timaru, this time Arthritis New Zealand South Canterbury will shut at the end of March so funds saved can be redirected.

Diabetes South Canterbury closed its Timaru office at the end of 2016.

March 31 will be the final day the Arthritis New Zealand South Canterbury office located at Community House will be open.

Nationally there are 620,000 adults suffering from arthritis and 1000 children. The condition causes joint pain, swelling, stiffness and decreased mobility. There are more than 100 types of arthritis.

Arthritis NZ chief executive Sandra Kirby said the organisation had signalled as early as 2011 that it would take up the the three office model, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, closing its six regional offices.

"We did our best to retain experienced staff for as long as we could. Some (regional offices) closed before Christmas and the last local office will close in June."

Kirby said eight, part time staff members, had taken redundancy and in some cases that was voluntary. Thirty staff members would be left.

The closures would save about $300,000 annually which would be spent on more awareness and advocacy work. The board's decision for the redirection strategy was based on a review, consultations and feedback "on where energy needs to go".

"We are incredibly conscious and fortunate the community supports us. We are a charity and need to use the money wisely and be more cost effecitve."

Arthritis NZ needs $3.5million a year to function averaging $10,000 a day. Last financial year it ended with a deficit of $536,000 while the year before that had a surplus of $580,000.

She said the changes were a "strategic redirection" of funds with everything the offices offered available online and via telephone, except face-to-face interactions. In 2016 the organisation received 10,000 phone calls.

"We offer comprehensive support for people to self manage their chronic condition."

The organisation had dropped the physical support groups it ran but would link callers to other appropriate services already in their communities.

"A lot of people of all ages use online (services)."

Arthritis NZ's 0800 phone line was available during business hours with no plans to expand the service in the immediate future, Kirby said.

South Canterbury arthritis educator Vanessa Stone could not be contacted for comment.

-Stuff

Continue reading here:
Arthritis New Zealand South Canterbury office to close - Timaru Herald

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