Mayor slams DHB for hasty communication over quake risk
Lower Hutt’s mayor has slammed the local DHB for “poor and hasty” communication over an earthquake risk discovered at the city’s hospital.
“The uncertainty created over the past month has caused serious anxiety in our community, and there is work to do to rebuild trust,” Campbell Barry said.
His criticism follows revelations the main building at Hutt Hospital is in better shape than first thought.
In May, Hutt Valley DHB announced the Heretaunga Block had a 15 per cent New Building Standard (NBS) rating making it earthquake-prone. Several structural and non-structural elements in the building were given this low rating.
At that time the DHB said patients and services would eventually have to be moved out of the building.
But a peer review of the draft detailed seismic assessment has since been completed, finding the precast concrete facade panels are now the only part of the building rated at 15 per cent NBS.
However, the DHB advised in an update yesterday this did not change the overall status of the building under the law. A building’s rating is determined by its weakest part.
While other elements in the building were no longer rated at 15 per cent NBS, the DHB said they were still considered an earthquake risk.
“We are therefore recommending the board confirms our earlier decision to relocate services out of the building as soon as reasonably practicable.”
The DHB has indicated the timeframe for relocation may be longer, given the new information.
Barry said it was good news the condition of the hospital was better than originally communicated.
“However, that reinforces just how poor the initial communication on this issue was from the DHB executive. It was hasty, and lacked planning and foresight.
“And what still is not clear, and what I’m frankly confused about, is the DHB ploughing ahead with their original plans to vacate the building.”
The precast concrete facade panels are on the building’s exterior. The DHB said it was awaiting further engineering advice on how it could further mitigate or remediate the risk.
A fence was already in place around the Heretaunga Block.
On Wednesday the Hutt Valley and Capital Coast District Health Boards will consider the final draft detailed seismic assessment.
There are 210 physical bed spaces in the Heretaunga Block, which account for a quarter of hospital beds in the region.
It is not unusual for peerreviews to reach a different conclusion to the initial assessment.