Canterbury DHB predicts surplus within two years

11:40 am on 21 February 2013

Canterbury District Health Board plans to be back in surplus within two years despite a $40 million deficit resulting from a falling population and the cost of earthquake repairs.

The DHB faces a repair bill of $400 million, most of which is to be spent on the hospital.

Government funding of health boards is tagged to population and with thousands leaving the city since the quakes, funding has had to be cut.

DHB chief executive David Meates says he was due to announce a surplus just before the earthquake on 22 February 2011 and remains confident this can still be achieved within the next two years.

Mr Meates says the disruption caused by the ongoing repairs to Christchurch and other hospitals in the region is taking a toll on staff but they've responded in an outstanding fashion to the challenges.