Source: New Zealand Government
Patient bed capacity at Hawke’s Bay Hospital will be increased as a result of $28.3 million in funding, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving health infrastructure is a priority for the Government to ensure New Zealanders have access to timely, quality healthcare.“Acute services at Hawke’s Bay Hospital are currently under pressure due to high inpatient occupancy rates and lack of capacity. This is having a significant effect on hospital flow and the ability to admit patients from the emergency department to the wards, and resulting in longer stays in ED. “This funding will deliver a new 28-bed temporary inpatient unit at Hawke’s Bay Hospital by mid-2026, enabling the hospital to meet current capacity demands while planning for longer-term development.“The unit will result in better management of patient volumes and help patient flow through the hospital, freeing up beds in the emergency department as a result.“Improving patient flow means ED patients can be discharged or admitted more quickly, and elective surgeries are less likely to be delayed or deferred. “This supports the Government’s health targets to achieve shorter stays in ED and reduce wait times for elective treatment. “There is a lot of future work to be done to ensure Hawke’s Bay Hospital can meet the growing needs of the region, but I recognise the need for an immediate solution in the meantime.“This interim remedy will allow the hospital to increase capacity quickly, while working on a permanent solution as part of the hospital’s wider redevelopment,” Mr Brown says.Today’s announcement follows last month’s approval for a significant expansion to radiology services ($29.3m) and provision of the first Linear Accelerator for the district ($37.2m).