‘Quiet’ changes to the Nelson Hospital rebuild have left Nelson MP Rachel Boyack “deeply concerned” for the region’s patients.
Documents revealed by 1News on Monday show Te Whatu Ora is now exploring options of a phased approach with a series of smaller buildings rather than a very large single building.
Rachel says it’s not clear what those smaller buildings would be, opposed to the one building that would “meet the needs of the community”.
Rachel says the option of a range of small buildings had already been ruled out by Te Whatu Ora last year.
Bed modeling from 2018 is also being reviewed.
“We approved a significant increase in the number of beds,” Rachel says of Labour’s 1.1b plan for the rebuild. “That would cause me deep concern if we ended up with fewer beds.”
A government review of clinical hospital facilities in 2020 found the George Manson Building to be the worst in the country. The six-storey building and the adjacent Percy Brunette Building were deemed earthquake-prone by engineers, likely to be so damaged in a significant earthquake that they would be unusable.
Both buildings were issued notices by Nelson City Council requiring remedial works, with a deadline of November 2028.
“They are incredibly cramped and dated buildings,” Rachel says. “For the people who stay in them, it is not an experience where they are staying in an environment that can help them recover.
“I asked Shane Reti in Parliament last week if he would commit to the project and the full 1.1b cost,” Rachel says. “He could not commit which caused me great concern.”
When questioned in a post-cabinet press conference on Monday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the health minister has a “huge amount of complex pressures in infrastructure across healthcare” which he will be “taking advice” on.
The Government needs to be clear about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says.
“After a period of work and research, Te Whatu Ora presented me with a range of options for use of existing and new buildings and selected the clinically preferred option, including a new acute services and inpatient care building,” she says.
“I was advised that further review of options would only save cost if we compromised on the clinical capacity we were adding and reduced the clinical capacity of the building. National needs to come clean and state whether they have been advised otherwise, or whether this is just yet another cost-cutting exercise.”
Nelson Mayor Nick Smith says the new phased approach could benefit the region.
“I’ve seen Dunedin Hospital has now taken 12 years with the big bang approach, our region can’t wait 12 years,” he says.
“I’m assured there’s no reduction from the $72m for design, that money is still available. I just want a good outcome for the region.”
