Ka¯piti Coast hospital bid quashed

The Ka¯ piti Coast won’t get its own hospital but should expect better services.

More than 22,500 people signed a 2017 petition calling for a community hospital to provide afterhours and emergency care, as well as medical services in the district, which has a population of 53,000.

The petition was supported by Ka¯piti Coast Mayor K Gurunathan, who said current afterhours services were not coping and the need for a hospital was ‘‘critical’’.

But a parliamentary health select committee has found the area would be best served by ‘‘having the necessary services and facilities available, in whatever form they take, rather than simply a new hospital’’.

Gurunathan now says that as the general election approaches, electoral candidates should be promising to deliver the desperately needed hospital. ‘‘Any candidates lining up will have to come to the party . . . they bloody well better get ready for questions.’’

A projection that the population would rise to 64,000 by 2043 was conservative and had not grasped the impact of a $2 billion investment in roading, he said.

Capital & Coast District Health Board spokeswoman Rachel Haggerty said the board had worked closely with the community and Ka¯ piti Health Advisory Group (KHAG) over the past two years.

‘‘It is our view that continuing to work with Ka¯ piti, and developing and investing in more services, can improve health outcomes and local service delivery, rather than building a hospital.’’

The select committee response stated: ‘‘We are pleased to note that, since this petition was presented, there has been substantial engagement between the petitioner and CCDHB.

‘‘There seems to be a consensus that what is important for Ka¯piti is having the necessary services available, in whatever form they take . . . We agree.’’