Sky Bridge next major step

Sky Bridge next major step in North Shore Hospital’s ongoing renaissance

Prime Minister the Rt Hon John Key today opened North Shore Hospital’s new Sky Bridge linking the Elective Surgery Centre (ESC) with the main hospital tower as part of plans to further integrate and expand services on the North Shore Hospital campus site.

Waitemata District Health Board (DHB) Chief Executive Dr Dale Bramley says the Sky Bridge is the next project to be completed in the ongoing, rapid renaissance of the North Shore Hospital site.

“We continue to invest heavily in North Shore Hospital in terms of people, services and facilities in order to ensure we provide the gold standard in health services that our communities desire and expect.”

The bridge forms part of a wider strategy of providing covered links between key facilities on the North Shore Hospital campus, including the access way linking the new inpatient adult mental health unit He Puna Waiora and the main hospital building.

“Our investment in the Sky Bridge provides a more integrated approach to patient care through faster patient transfers and a better healthcare experience for those undergoing treatment in various buildings on the site, says Dr Bramley.

“The bridge will have an immediate positive impact in time to meet increased winter demand.

“It enables the DHB to perform more complex surgeries at the Elective Surgery Centre by providing direct access between the ESC and the main hospital’s High Dependency and Intensive Care units.

“It allows us to maximise the use of the state-of-the-art Elective Surgery Centre, increasing the volume and complexity of surgeries undertaken at the facility.”

Waitemata DHB Chair Dr Lester Levy says the bridge forms part of a wider strategy for the growth and future development of the North Shore Hospital site to exceed the demand of the district’s growing population.

“This critical infrastructure will support the expansion of facilities on the North Shore Hospital site meeting the needs of our community well into the future.

“Waitemata DHB serves the largest population in the country and this is just one project in an extensive programme of commitments to expand and advance our facilities and services as our community grows.”

The bridge is available for staff use only to ensure it remains clear for patient transfers. Whanau will be able to accompany a patient across the bridge during a transfer from one location to the next.

The Sky Bridge is a key project in the DHB’s Waitemata 2025 10-year plan to meet the increasingly diverse health care needs of the fastest-growing DHB population in the country.

Waitemata 2025 continues the Board’s focus on growth in services and facilities, including the following major developments:

• He Puna Wāiora – new 46-bed mental health services inpatient unit on the North Shore Hospital site (complete)

• Hine Ora – a dedicated 15-bed women’s health ward at North Shore Hospital (complete)

• Hart Department of Medicine – a new home at North Shore Hospital for the largest Department of Medicine in the country (complete)

• Expansion of Waitakere Hospital’s emergency department, which will see it almost double in size (completion scheduled for August 2016)

• Expansion of North Shore Hospital’s short stay ward and inpatient cardiology procedures expected to begin in 2017.

• Expansion of outpatient services at North Shore Hospital underway and due for completion in late 2016.

ENDS

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