$20m to replace hospital

Westport will get a new $20 million health centre, with 12 beds to replace Buller Hospital.

Health Minister David Clark went to Westport to announce funding and the site for the new Buller Health Centre.

The Buller Hospital Action Group had been campaigning for

16 beds for the district’s 10,500 residents, of which about 17 per cent are aged over 65. Westport is

90 minutes drive from Grey Hospital and four hours from Christchurch. The town’s existing hospital has 35 beds, including 20 for aged care. Aged care is now solely provided by O’Conor Home.

Clark said the latest concept design for the new facility had been accepted, allowing detailed design work to proceed.

‘‘The people of Buller have waited long enough for a modern, purpose-designed health facility . . . I can confirm that the Buller facility will be located on the current hospital site, and that we’ll be increasing the scope of the project to allow for the inclusion of the locally provided Adult Dental Service as well as two additional medical beds.’’

Buller mayor Garry Howard said he was pleased with the two extra beds.

‘‘It’s good to see the Government commitment to the hospital and the additional two beds . . .

‘‘There are community concerns on various aspects but we will work through them and make the best of what we can have.’’

He said the concerns included the number of beds and the lack of hospital-level aged-care beds.