26 June 2002

Minister Announces $79m Redevelopment For Christchurch Women’s Hospital

Health Minister Annette King says women's health services in Canterbury will receive a major boost with a $79 million redevelopment for Christchurch Women's Hospital.

Ms King told the Christchurch school of Medicine’s mid-winter dialogue today that the Government has approved the business case for the relocation of Christchurch Women's Hospital to a new building on the Christchurch Hospital campus. The Government would provide $50 million of the funding, she said.

Building will begin later this year and is expected to be completed in 2005. The new development will have six clinical storeys, with theatres and related facilities on one floor, and women's health services in the rest of the building.

“This represents a real quality upgrade for women using hospital services in the area, and that's good news for patients, their families and staff,” Ms King said.

“New Zealand women and their families have a right to expect the best possible care from our health professionals and our health system. This new facility will provide services in an environment that meets modern Australasian standards. It will also help increase day surgery admission capabilities.''

The new facility would offer up to 134 beds in specialty areas such as gynaecology, the neonatal Intensive Care Unit, ante/postnatal and deliveries, Ms King said.

Christchurch Women's, opened in 1952, provides gynaecological, neonatal intensive care and maternity services to Canterbury and the West Coast. A few highly specialised services such as gynaecological oncology are available for the whole of the South Island.

Ms King said the existing buildings required work and would be difficult to upgrade to comply with modern building standards. “This proposal to relocate Christchurch Women's to the Christchurch Hospital campus makes good sense. Added to that are the benefits to patients and staff of being in a vastly superior, redeveloped facility.''

Christchurch Hospital is the South Island's largest tertiary, teaching and research hospital. Last year at Christchurch Hospital and Christchurch Women’s, there was 29,000 operations, 32,000 inpatients not requiring surgery, and 210,000 outpatients.

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