New Dunedin Hospital: Southerners Deserve Better

The Government’s announcement today that it will scale back the new Dunedin hospital will negatively impact patient care, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki O Aotearoa says.

"Southerners deserve more than half a hospital or a slow rebuild of the old hospital," says NZNO delegate Linda Smillie.

"These decisions will negatively impact patient care. There is a real risk that nurses will not be able to provide the appropriate level of care their patients need."

The Government knows the cost of infrastructure projects always blow out because of rising building costs, she says.

"This is cost cutting by stealth. The Government must find the additional funding needed to build this much-needed health facility.

"If the Government can find $3 billion to give to landlords and $216 million for tobacco companies, they can find the additional funding needed to build the new Dunedin hospital.

"Repurposing the existing hospital doesn’t make sense because it is not fit for purpose, and inpatient and outpatient areas need to in close proximity. This option has been well investigated previously and deemed to be unfeasible," Linda Smillie says.

NZNO urges Dunedin residents to join them and march on Saturday against the decision to stop the construction and to show the Government how important the new hospital is.

© Scoop Media