Construction work at Te Whatu Ora – Health New
Zealand’s $316m Manukau Health Park redevelopment started
this week.
The new facilities will include a new
ambulatory renal centre, four new operating theatres, an
advanced radiology hub, a women’s and ophthalmology
building and an integrated breast-care service. The site
will also be future-proofed for further
expansion.
“This is an exciting milestone in the life
of this project and it signifies a major step towards
catering for future growth and offering our communities
improved and more equitable access to healthcare,” said Dana
Ralph-Smith, Director of Ambulatory and Community Care,
Counties Manukau.
More than 926,000 outpatient care
appointments took place in Counties Manukau over the past
two years, with nearly 65 per cent of these taking place at
Manukau Health Park. This number is forecast to grow by more
than 20 per cent over the next 10 years.
“It is
crucial that South Aucklanders can access the care they need
from health services to support better health and
wellbeing,” said Dana.
“This redevelopment project
will ensure that this access is maintained into the future,
by improving the capacity, accessibility and quality of
community care.”
The new facility will enable almost
150,000 additional outpatient appointments to be scheduled
each year, and more than 3,600 additional surgeries per year
will be carried out on site from 2026. The completed
development will also require hundreds of new full-time
employees across a variety of health services.
“The
ability to increase staff and patient capacity at Manukau
Health Park will enable our teams to deliver an improved
patient experience while relieving pressure on Middlemore
Hospital,” says Dr Andrew Connolly, Chief Medical
Officer.
“The enhanced super clinic will also provide
a better staff experience through improved facilities and
technology, encouraging talent from within the Counties
Manukau community and beyond.”
Equality, health equity
and sustainability have been at the forefront of the
planning for this project. This has included working closely
with Mana Whenua i Tamaki Makaurau and Mana Whenua hapuu to
ensure the local environment is protected and the physical
appearance of the new building is designed in a way that
represents the rich and deep history of the land.
“Te
Whare hou ki te hanga, he rereke mo te katoa; The redesign
is to make a difference for all,” says Mana Whenua i Tamaki
Makaurau.
The project is scheduled for completion in
2025.
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