Hospital to become one stop shop
Tokoroa residents are thrilled that the Waikato District Health Board have signed off on a $1.9 million facelift for the Tokoroa Hospital.
The Waikato District Health Board (DHB) has signed off the investment which will see several primary health services relocate to the hospital’s grounds to be a one stop shop.
It will see wards 3 and 4 handed over for use by non government organisation providers, with ward 3 being leased by Tokoroa Primary Care, Medicentre and Caldwell and Simpson medical centres. The amalgamated community pharmacy and blood collection service will move from town to the physiotherapy area, while services in that area will be shifted to ward 4.
Waikato DHB chief executive Craig Climo said the project brought together several primary and secondary providers in one location and would provide opportunities to work more closely together. In time he hoped some of the town’s lead maternity care givers would also shift from the centre of town to the hospital.
He said there was also ‘‘ good interest’’ from other health and social services thinking of moving into ward 4, including a fourth GP practice supported by National Hauora Coalition; podiatry, and providers from the Ma¯ ori and Pacific communities. The DHB had also been in talks with St John.
Mr Climo said construction impacts on the wider hospital, which was built in 1969, would be kept to a minimum. However, people would see and hear work going on.
It is hoped most of the work will be finished and ready for use by October.
Board member Dr Clyde Wade, who for many years was clinical unit leader for rural services, said the decision was a great step for Tokoroa. ‘‘ I started down this track exactly 20 years ago, July 1993,‘‘ he said. ‘‘I spent a lot of time and energy banging heads and trying to get something happening in Tokoroa and nothing happened in the end.‘‘
He said it had been the ‘‘right thing to do’’ for a very long time and hoped it would help attract clinical staff to Tokoroa.
Board member Martin Gallagher asked what would happen with other surplus buildings and land on the 11 hectare campus, but Mr Climo said it was too early to know.
He said there was a ‘‘great excess’’ of land, but it was of low value given the property market in Tokoroa. At this stage they were focused on the co- location of services while the long term plan was integration.
The $ 1.9 million investment must now been signed off by the minister.
South Waikato Mayor Neil Sinclair last year said that the council had advocated for an integrated centralised healthcare facility in Tokoroa for years.
‘‘It is great to see that it is now happening.
‘‘This move alleviates the concerns we have had around the sustainability of general practices in Tokoroa and removes the threat of the hospital being closed, which has been a major concern for our residents.’’
SWN