Hon Dr Shane Reti
Minister of Health

Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says delivery of a long overdue Emergency Observation Unit for Christchurch Hospital will reduce admissions, free up valuable resources across the hospital and help deliver on shorter stays in Emergency Departments.

The unit is a short stay area inside the wider Emergency Department, providing extended care when extra time is needed before a decision is made to either discharge or admit.

“Having a dedicated unit will allow Christchurch ED staff to assess patients more safely, efficiently and comfortably. It also reduces overcrowding in the ED, which is better for patient care and better for staff,” says Dr Reti.

“This unit should have been able to open alongside a new ED back in 2020, but its staffing wasn’t prioritised by successive Labour ministers or in the then District Health Board or Health New Zealand’s subsequent internal budgeting.

“This is exactly what I expect Health NZ to focus on in future: delivering on frontline services to improve outcomes for both patients and staff.

“Its opening will make a real difference to the people of Christchurch - having an Observation Unit eases strain on ED by bridging the gap between emergency care and full hospital admission.

“Being able to provide a period of extended observation within the ED helps free up beds on inpatient wards for those who are very unwell and for planned care, while also alleviating congestion in the main ED so it can operate more efficiently and safely.

“It will also improve patient experience. Patients admitted will be more comfortable in a quieter environment, allowing for further monitoring, treatment, investigations, and expert input as needed.

“We know there are still pressures on the Christchurch ED and this is just one tool in the toolkit to provide better care. However I’m very pleased it’s now operational.

“Our target is to deliver 95 per cent of patients being admitted, discharged or transferred from an emergency department within six hours – initiatives like this will help deliver on that.

“I agree with clinicians that observation rooms should form an ongoing part of Health NZ’s workplan to deliver faster ED times at other sites,” says Dr Reti.

Notes:

• The Emergency Observation Unit has twelve beds and additional doctors, nurses and healthcare assistants have been employed to staff the space.
• One of the busiest Emergency Departments in Australasia, the Christchurch Hospital ED sees upwards of 400 patients a day and is the main trauma centre for the South Island.
• Additional funding to operationalise and staff the unit is $4.2million.

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