Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman
Minister of Health

19 August 2016

Official opening of $215m Burwood Hospital

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman has welcomed the official opening of the new $215 million Burwood Hospital in Christchurch.

“Burwood Hospital is the first cab off the rank in the close to $1 billion of hospital redevelopments underway in Christchurch,” says Dr Coleman.

The $215 million facility was officially opened by Prime Minister John Key today.

Burwood Hospital focuses on services for older people, which were previously located at The Princess Margaret Hospital.

“With 230 new beds and 32,000 square metres in size, Burwood is the largest rebuild project in Christchurch East and a great addition to the Canterbury health system,” says Dr Coleman.

“Key features include more beds for older persons’ mental health, stroke and more brain injury rehabilitation. Each floor boosts shared Allied Health spaces, such as gyms, to support the patient rehabilitation process.

“The new Radiology Department is complete with MRI, CT, two ultrasound rooms, fluoroscopy, and five general x-ray rooms. There is a new Outpatient Department, with the capacity to manage 80,000 visits a year.

“The hospital has a new main entrance, café, retail pharmacy and large carparking areas. The hospital kitchen is new and an eco-friendly biomass boiler has been installed.

“In addition to providing all of these new services, Burwood Hospital will also continue to provide the functions it is renowned for including orthopaedics, spinal and brain injury treatment and rehabilitation.

“Now that Burwood is up and running, our focus turns to delivering the new $72 million Outpatients Facility and $445 million Acute Services Building on the Christchurch Hospital Campus in 2018.”

Since the earthquakes the Government has supported Canterbury DHB through a range of measures.

This includes providing $106 million to help meet the additional costs of earthquake recovery, including a $20 million package of initiatives to increase mental health support announced in March.

Canterbury DHB’s annual budget is currently $1.417 billion – an increase of $331 million over the past eight years.

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