Hawke’s Bay Hospital’s radiology and surgical service upgrades are poised to get underway within the next few months following Crown funding approval formally announced by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Napier today.

The DHB presented businesses cases to the Government requesting $10-million toward it’s $19.9-million Radiology Expansion project costs as well as a top up of $4.2-million towards it’s $20.8-million Surgical Services Expansion project.

Hawke’s Bay DHB Chairman, Shayne Walker, says the funding approval means DHB staff and patients will not only enjoy state-of-the-art facilities in the future, but shorter wait times and an overall better patient journey experience.

Significant seismic upgrade work will begin first to bring the buildings up to new seismic standards. Mr Walker says it made sense to complete all significant structural upgrade work before progressing with the redesign and extension of spaces within clinical areas.

The DHB’s radiology expansion involves larger clinical spaces to better support patient safety and privacy, state-of-the-art imaging equipment, as well as additional capacity for more diagnostic equipment in the future. A larger waiting room will also improve the patient experience.

The Surgical Expansion project is designed to increase capacity ensuring wait times for planned surgeries are reduced. The overall patient experience will further improve with a remodel of surgical services to ensure better patient flow from time of pre-admission through to discharge.

An additional operating theatre will be built (Theatre 8) while the existing theatre block will be remodelled to ensure larger and more private spaces for pre and post operation areas (including a waiting room for whānau), as well as larger post anaesthetic care, reception and storage areas. The expansion also includes a new link bridge to connect staff amenities and surgical service’s office block on the first floor of the new Endoscopy building to the ground floor of the theatre block. This link bridge will be one of the first builds as part of the surgical expansion project.

Seismic upgrades of the theatre block will begin first through the basement, ground and roof space levels to achieve new requirements. Contingencies are in place so surgeries will not be impacted during this time.

“A huge amount of work and effort from our staff, supported by the Board, has gone into developing the business cases for both these projects. I want to thank the people involved who have shown ongoing commitment and determination through a number of obstacles, including the need to address seismic remediation issues.

“The community and our staff will benefit from these fantastic future facilities,” Mr Walker said.

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