Ardern revisits maternity ward
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visited the maternity ward as a politician for the first time since her daughter Neve’s birth.
Earlier yesterday, Ardern announced that $305 million would be invested in Auckland’s hospital buildings.
Ardern said that when she was at Auckland City Hospital, she was told she wouldn’t get special treatment just because of who she was. However, she argued that the treatment she received was special because the treatment of everyone was always special.
She also said her first-hand experience of the hospital’s staff had not changed her opinion of them.
‘‘I have always known the hospital has amazing staff,’’ she said. ‘‘So not changed – enhanced.’’
Budget 2018 saw a record investment of $2.2 billion for health.
Auckland District Health Board had asked for urgent funding to renew and repair essential infrastructure, such as boilers, generators and lifts.
‘‘It’s no secret health has been underfunded for many years, which has left behind a legacy of deferred maintenance and ageing infrastructure,’’ Ardern said.
While repairing boilers might not be seen as a ‘‘ribbon-cutting moment’’, it was a critical one, she said.
The 2018 budget will fund $275m, while the Auckland DHB will provide a further $30m over three years.
Health Minister David Clark said the first stage in a proposed programme of work was to increase infrastructure capacity and resilience.
Other DHBs, in other areas of Auckland and nationally, were being looked at, he said.