The people of the South deserve ‘‘a great pat on the back’’ for forcing the government to listen to its demands for a new hospital, Mayor Jules Radich says.
His comments come after this morning’s announcement by Health Minister Simeon Brown that the government would build a new $1.88 billion inpatient building at the former Cadbury site, rather than the option of refurbishing the old hospital.
‘‘Thank goodness, we’re getting the full structure,’’ Mr Radich told the Otago Daily Times.
‘Thirty-five thousand in the streets of Dunedin, they're pivotal, and the government has listened."
Not only would the city get the full structure of the hospital and ‘‘sufficient’’ facilities and services upon opening, the government had also made a commitment to add new facilities as demand developed, he said.
‘‘Future-proofing the hospital has been a significant feature of Minister Brown's discourse .. . so I think that's very important and they would be hollow words if they weren't building the whole structure.’’
The city could be ‘‘reasonably confident’’ that the healthcare needs in the southern half ofNew Zealand would be taken care of, and was in a good position to lobby and discuss with thegovernment in the future, Mr Radich said.
The structure had the ability to get ‘‘whatever services and facilities are required into the future’’, and the changes to the project that he envisioned potentially happening were the addition of more services and facilities being added.
‘‘And the reason why I say that is they're building the full structure, as planned.
‘‘So you've got a building and the natural conclusion from that is, well, there's no point in having it empty — let's get this in, get that in.
‘‘As demand grows and funds become available, they'll be able to provide everything required because they are building the whole structure.’’
The opening of the facility was quite a few years away, and anything could happen between now and then.
‘‘But nothing can happen if they don't build the structure.
‘‘The structure is being built, a full and complete structure . . . that's a big win for the people of the region.’’
Cr Andrew Whiley said he was ‘‘thrilled for the people of Dunedin’’.
‘‘It's great that the government listened and took on board what was needed for the people of the South.’’
He was also excited for the economic impact it would have for Dunedin as people were employed across the city to be involved with the building of the hospital.
He believed the announcement was a reaction to the ‘‘people power’’ of last year’s protest march.
‘‘The government was always going to have to invest in the hospital, but the power of thepeople dictated to the scale of what they were having to commit to.’’
Former Labour health minister and hospital campaigner Pete Hodgson, who previously chaired a governance committee for the hospital build, said it was "the least worst option and we should run with it".
"We should welcome the undertaking that there will be no more reviews, and that the sixth floor will be shelled not abandoned.
"However, the completion date has now been pushed out to 2031, there is no programme director in place to run the show, the main contractor negotiations are still not finished and work is not expected to start again until winter. Having stopped last September, that is almost one year lost."
Longtime campaigner and former South District Health Board member Richard Thomson agreed with Mr Hodgson "although I do worry about the reduced bed levels".
"The most common reason for cancelled surgery is lack of a beds to shift them to. If we are going to increase theatre capacity but reduce beds that seems a significant risk.
"Having said that, the shelled space does allow it to be addressed."
University of Otago Vice-Chancellor Grant Robertson said he welcomed "the end to uncertainty that today’s announcement about the future of Dunedin Hospital provides to the community".
Mr Robertson said the university remained focused on working through the detail of the proposal, "but the fact the government has agreed to continue building the hospital on the same site, including future-proofing it for growth, is positive for the region and the university".
“We look forward to working with Health Minister Simeon Brown on the specific details that will support the university’s critical teaching and research role.
“The new hospital, integrated with the university’s medical school as part of a comprehensive health campus is vital for ensuring high-quality education and healthcare in New Zealand.
“This year more than 600 new students will begin their training in Dunedin, including 312 medical students, 120 pharmacy students, 130 physiotherapy students and 40 medical laboratory sciences students. The hospital will play a key role in their education and in shaping the healthcare professionals of tomorrow.”
