The new Akaroa Integrated Health Facility is one step closer

The new Akaroa Integrated Health Facility is one step closer

Canterbury DHB is pleased to announce it is tendering for the design of the new Integrated Health Facility in Akaroa, on the site of the former Akaroa Hospital.

David Meates, Canterbury DHB Chief Executive says reaching this milestone of inviting tenders for design is a huge achievement.

“Especially in light of the unique complexities of this process and the other priorities competing for health resources in our post-quake Canterbury environment,” he says.

“Our positive engagement with the community to date gives me great confidence that this partnership approach is the best way forward.”

The DHB has committed to construction getting underway by November 2016, with a projected completion date later next year (2017).

The Akaroa community has previously agreed with the proposal that a community-owned company, Akaroa Health Hub Ltd, will be the provider of the services in the new facility.

The facility will have eight aged residential care beds and four General Practice “GP” beds for inpatients and will house the general practice and other community services.

“However, to enable the facility to include beds for aged residential care, a substantial one-off $2.5 million contribution from the community will be needed.

“Details of financing and ownership are still being worked through but it has been agreed that sufficient time will be provided for the community fundraising targets to be reached. In the interim this is not expected to impact the construction schedule because the DHB is committed to progressing the facility without further delay,” Mr Meates says.

Work is being undertaken with the existing Akaroa health service providers (rest home, hospital nurses and health centre), as well as other services such as physiotherapy and pharmacy, to integrate the services and design the model of service delivery for the future.

“This work will be completed before the facility design is finalised to ensure it will be fit for its purpose of delivering services in an integrated and sustainable way,” Mr Meates says.

Alan Bradford, chair of the Akaroa Structure Group, welcomes the development.

“We are very pleased that the Akaroa community can now count on the continued local provision of health services. We recognise that the lack of apparent progress has been frustrating for many, and we are pleased to have reached this important milestone.”

ENDS

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