Secret talks held over building plans for hospital
Canterbury health authorities have met in secret to discuss a major business case that will shape the future of Christchurch Hospital.
Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) members attended the publicexcluded meeting last Tuesday to go over the final draft of the business case, which covers the first stage of a major hospital redevelopment that could cost hundreds of millions of dollars over the next decade.
The secretive planning process overseen by the Ministry of Health is looking at what other new builds are needed at the hospital. Even with the opening of the new Christchurch Hospital Hagley building, the campus will be short of bed numbers to deal with growing demand.
Modelling by the CDHB shows the new
$500 million hospital building will just meet demand in the year it opens – 2020.
However, the year after it won’t be enough. Add in a buffer for safety, and by
2024 the CDHB is forecasting a shortfall of close to 120 beds.
Senior clinicians at the hospital have been strongly critical of the delayed planning process, alleging in April it was failing the people of Canterbury.
CDHB chief executive David Meates said the business case could only be publicly released by the ministry once ministers had made a decision. The ministry and CDHB have both refused to release relevant documents.
The Press understands the business case will likely have two components: a third tower on the Christchurch Hospital Hagley building, which has two towers already, and another building with a fourth tower. The senior clinicians are adamant both need to happen urgently and construction should take place at the same time.
The bed number modelling, produced earlier this year and released under the Official Information Act, considers two scenarios: if tower three is available in
2025 and tower four in 2027, or if the process is delayed and tower three is available in 2026 and tower four in 2030. The dates
The business case will likely have two components: a third tower on the Christchurch Hospital Hagley building, which has two towers already, and another building with a fourth tower.
are the first public indication of when the buildings might be ready.
Meeting the bed shortfall, by doing things like outsourcing to private providers and transfers to other DHBs, will cost the health board millions of dollars, according to the projections.
Christchurch Hospital Hagley, which was originally meant to open in 2018, will provide 413 inpatient beds when it opens.
The Government will have to approve the new building projects for them to go ahead. Meates said the final draft of the business case and resolutions passed by the board would go to the hospital redevelopment partnership group and the capital investment committee, which provides the Government with funding advice, this month.