Organisers of a 10,000-strong protest march in Dunedin say a clear message has been sent to the Health Minister to retain neurological services in the lower South Island.
A consultant panel has recommended the service be consolidated in Christchurch, but the Southern District Health Board, which includes Dunedin, wants the service split between both cities.
On Friday protesters marched from the Octagon to Dunedin Hospital where they encircled the building.
They are unhappy with a proposal that would centralise six neurosurgeons in Christchurch to save money and require people to travel long distances for care.
They called on Health Minister Tony Ryall to intervene and instruct the DHBs to split the service.
One of the organisers of the march says patients' lives will be put at risk if neurological services are moved to Christchurch.
Glenda Alexander, of the Nurses Organisation, told Checkpoint it would be more practical for doctors to travel instead of patients.
"We're talking life and death here ... there's very clinical indicators as to why people need to get the closest intervention to where the event happens and not put people at risk by flying them all round the country."
Mr Ryall has issued a statement, saying the decision is one for the independent panel.
Mayors want minister to act
The eight mayors of the lower South Island have signed a special letter to Mr Ryall calling on him to step in and make a decision about the future of the service.
Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin says if the minister has not got the message, the people of Otago and Southland will keep up their efforts until he listens.
Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt told protesters Mr Ryall cannot ignore the united voice of the south.
"It is about the protection of our own community, our own children, our own families, and that is what we are fighting for today."
Dunedin North MP Pete Hodgson told protesters that Mr Ryall needs to step in and make a decision now.
"This can be fixed easily. One person can fix it by simply declaring that neurosurgery will continue to be done in two sites in the South Island, rather than one."
