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Burwood Birthing Unit to Temporarily Reopen
April 5, 2016
Burwood Birthing Unit to Temporarily Reopen
Canterbury DHB will
temporarily reopen the Burwood Birthing Unit.
The announcement was made at a meeting this week with Lead Maternity Carers, key stakeholders and staff.
Canterbury DHB closed the unit after staff and women felt unsafe being there following the magnitude 5.7 earthquake on February 14.
David Meates, Canterbury DHB chief executive, says Canterbury DHB had originally intended to keep the Burwood unit open until it had built a new primary maternity unit in the Christchurch area.
“However, the February 14 quake forced our hand and it's no longer an option.
“A band aid solution is just not viable when you consider the Primary Birthing Strategy and what needed long term for our community.
“The Burwood Birthing Unit is a 1940s building that contains significant asbestos through many parts of the building. This creates real issues doing even basic repairs or any work on the building,” he says.
Mr Meates says the DHB is committed to providing the right primary maternity services for the community.
"We will continue to work closely with LMCs, our staff and the community to find an agreed way forward."
The temporary reopening will only be until June 30, 2016 and will be flagged for demolition thereafter.
END
Canterbury DHB
CDHB
Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) is a Christchurch, New Zealand based hospital and healthcare provider for the
Canterbury region of New Zealand. Our region extends from Kekerengu in the North, to Rangitata in the South and Arthurs Pass in the West and comprises the six Territorial Local Authorities of Kaikoura, Hurunui, Waimakariri, Christchurch City, Selwyn and Ashburton.
We collaborate with other health and disability organisations, stakeholders and our community to decide what health and disability services are needed and how to best use the funding we receive from Government to improve, promote and protect the health, wellbeing and independence of our population.
At the Canterbury DHB, our vision is to improve the health and wellbeing of people living in Canterbury.
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