Nonacute services not included in new build

SERVICES left out of the scope of the new Dunedin Hospital build could go offsite to community health hubs.

The preliminary site master plan for the hospital, released yesterday, includes a list of services ‘‘out of scope’’.

Those are: fertility services; hydrotherapy and lifestyle; information and records, prosthetics; home dialysis training; southern blood and cancer services; sexual health and orthotics.

Southern District Health Board chief executive Chris Fleming said the services were those not part of the rebuild.

Southern blood and cancer services in the oncology centre would remain on site in the meantime.

But the SDHB had to find solutions for the rest.

While they were not included in the capital budget for the rebuild, they were included in operating budgets.

Some may locate elsewhere in Dunedin, for instance at community health hubs.

The reason the services were on the out of scope list was because it was questioned ‘‘do they fundamentally need to be on the acute hospital site?’’.

The hospital creche, on the existing site, was also part of those questions.

There were more than 2000 people employed in Dunedin alone, and a large percentage were women.

Whether a creche was on the new hospital site or not, Mr Fleming was committed to providing access to the service.

The creche on the existing site could be maintained in the meantime.

Asked about car parking, Mr Fleming said the intention was parking spaces would be under the acute building on the former Cadbury block.

‘‘That seems like it would be more car parking than we currently have.’’

‘‘What we need to do is have a parking plan, optimise what we can get on the site, and then look at all the other options.’’

It was understood modes of transport would change and a balance needed to be struck.

Mr Fleming said the detail was not set in stone. For instance, plans for what department went where in the building was ‘‘like two piles of Lego’’: it was known what would be in each building. It was up to the planning group to decide in what order.

He said there would be ‘‘clear flows’’ for the public, staff and patients, something the existing hospital did not have.

That would make it more efficient and provide greater privacy for patients.

Key aspects of the plan would be displayed in the hospital foyer for staff and the public to view.