Sarah Dalton
Health Minister Simeon Brown announced on Friday the government would proceed with a $1.88billion inpatients building at the former Cadbury's site with 47 fewer beds on opening than the previous plan.
Since then, Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora (HNZ) has declined to provide detail about what departments the bed cuts would affect, or any further detail about where the savings had come from.
The inpatients building will be 11 floors, with the sixth floor "cold-shelled" for future development.
Association of Salaried Medical Specialists chief executive Sarah Dalton said it was vital the government and HNZ became more upfront.
"Obviously, people, for really good reasons, will have lost a bit of trust and confidence in the way the building is being managed at the highest level."
Last year, more than 35,000 people marched in protest against the government's proposed cuts to the new Dunedin hospital.
Ms Dalton said HNZ clearly made a series of decisions for the present design based on plans and scenarios that were requested to be worked up since September.
"And so that information should be shared."
Health Minister Simeon Brown during last week's announcement. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH
When asked how many beds had been cut from the original design, HNZ declined to comment.
Instead, they sent a statement from HNZ Te Waipounamu deputy chief executive Martin Keogh.
"Many of our teams have worked hard to review and refine various options to ensure we deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose health facility that enhances clinical safety, enables new innovative models of care, and can be achieved within the budget set out by ministers in September 2024.
"Please note HNZ is undergoing commercial negotiations for the new Dunedin hospital, and we anticipate we will be able to say more once the procurement process has been completed."
New Zealand Nurses Organisation president Anne Daniels said Mr Brown and HNZ "left us with a feeling of uncertainty over their failure to release these plans".
"If the plans are based on the agreed business case developed by over 500 health professionals, the new build plans are ready to go.
"Why not release them now?"
Dr Barnett also said another strategy has been to combine some departments, sharing spaces such as reception or recovery areas.
This had been done successfully elsewhere, but was going to need redesign, she said.
"Within those departments that have been combined, there may be some loss of space, but we don't yet know what this will look like."
HNZ declined to comment about which parts of the building were likely to face redesign.
Mr Brown has said construction should resume by the middle of this year, and the inpatients building should be complete by 2031.
