Hospitals Redevelopment Partnership Group Making Progress

30 November 2012

MEDIA RELEASE

Hospitals Redevelopment Partnership Group Making Good Progress

Work towards starting Canterbury DHB’s hospitals redevelopment project is progressing well, according to members of the Hospitals Redevelopment Partnership Group (HRPG).

The redevelopment, which will be the largest health-related building project in New Zealand’s history, will include new facilities for older people at Burwood Hospital and building at Christchurch Hospital including an expanded intensive care unit, emergency department, purpose-designed space for children, additional operating theatres and inpatient wards.

Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) chair and HRPG member Bruce Matheson said Expressions of Interest have already been called for the preliminary design of Burwood Hospital. This is in line with the Cabinet request that early work on the preliminary design of the Hospital start by 21 December. Fast progress is also being made on a Detailed Business Case for the overall project, Mr Matheson said.

“Everyone involved is working as hard as possible to ensure that we provide a robust Detailed Business Case and construction of the new facilities could start as soon as possible. In this phase of the project the Partnership Group’s role is to ensure that appropriate plans are developed for the redevelopment projects,” Bruce Matheson said.

Preparation of the Detailed Business Case follows an Indicative Business Case that was presented to the government by CDHB in July this year.

While CDHB was planning for the redevelopment of Christchurch and Burwood hospitals well before September 2010, earthquake damage means that the work now needs to be done as quickly as possible.

“Many of our services are under significant pressure. The extra beds and services that we will have at Burwood and Christchurch Hospitals are vital elements of the rapidly developing Canterbury Health System,” Mr Matheson said.

“The redevelopment will also ensure that we can provide safe high quality health facilities to support this health system for Cantabrians for many years to come.”

“Engagement with many CDHB clinical, operational and support staff has been essential in the process so far. People have willingly engaged with the project team under very tight timeframes and this has been very much appreciated,” he said. “Further engagement opportunities will be provided in the next stage - the detailed design phase.”

ENDS

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