The Dunedin hospital rebuild and other health building projects are to be scrutinised by the auditor-general.
With several large building projects under way in the South Island - including Dunedin Hospital, the single largest investment in the health sector to date - extra scrutiny was warranted, Auditor-general Greg Schollum said.
''We plan to start a programme of work in 2018-19 that looks at this broad area of health sector investment.
''This is likely to be a multi-year programme of work that will consider a range of activities, from the way the health sector plans its significant investments to the effectiveness of delivering the projects.''
In addition to Dunedin, hospitals in Christchurch and the West Coast have been built or are close to completion.
A $6.5million upgrade of Lakes District Hospital is also about to begin.
''Hospital building projects are some of the most expensive and complex projects in the public sector,'' Mr Schollum said.
''Because there is a long time between concept and completion, and because of the importance of hospitals to New Zealanders, it is important to get the planning right on a national and regional level.
''This should help ensure that services go where they will deliver the best overall health outcomes.''
