New health hub opens doors for public viewing

October 12, 2015

North Canterbury residents have a rare opportunity for a behind-the-scenes look into the new $7 million Rangiora Health Hub at a public open day this weekend.

Volunteers will take guided tours on Saturday, 17 October between 11am and 2pm and the Friends of the Hospital will have refreshments available for gold coin donations. The open day gives people the chance to see the inside of the health facility before the building has its clinical cleans and medical equipment is commissioned.

David Meates, Canterbury DHB Chief Executive, says the Hub, which the Minister of Health Dr Jonathan Coleman will officially open on 24 November, will service Waimakariri and Hurunui districts.

“It will provide a central location for health services in North Canterbury as well as improve the sustainability of health services for residents and provide the community with better access to a variety of services.”

Birthing and post-natal maternity facilities will be the first of these services available.

Mr Meates says there’s been outstanding community engagement across the districts since the Government announced the project in 2011.

“We’re really grateful for the community support and interest received for this project, which has been a long time coming. I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to open the doors to the community for an exclusive viewing before we commission the building and have staff and patients move in over the next month.”

The 1250m2 building includes two birthing rooms and 12 post-natal rooms. Two of the post-natal rooms are bigger and equipped with medical gases so they can also be used as birthing rooms if required. The birthing rooms will feature a host of modern birthing equipment, including birthing couches, birthing pools, monkey bars and fixtures for slings and ropes. The facility also includes four assessment (clinic) rooms, four flexi beds and a kitchen catering for in house patient meals as well as Meals on Wheels.

Plans for the old hospital building are yet to be decided. Canterbury DHB has received registrations of interest from current and possible future users of the old building on an interim basis.

The Site Redevelopment Unit with the Canterbury DHB has had overall responsibility for the design and construction of the Health Hub with Noordanus Architects appointed as the lead designer and RCP (Resource Coordination Partnership) appointed as the project manager for the development.

The third and final stage of the Health Hub will be the relocation of the Hagley Outpatients building from its current site at Christchurch Hospital, which is scheduled for late 2017 and will add another 800m2 of space to house additional services.

ENDS

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