Dunedin Hospital retrofit idea panned

The idea of retrofitting Dunedin’s existing hospital is already “dead in the water”, the former chair of the Southern Partnership Group Pete Hodgson says.

SPG was appointed by the then-Minister of Health to govern the New Dunedin Hospital Project in 2015, and in a press statement, its former chair laid down the reasons why a retrofit was akin to a “wild goose chase”.

“The ward block option is dead in the water. It made no sense in 2017 and it makes even less sense now,” Mr Hodgson says.

“It is a foolish diversion for officials involved and it is an energy sapping distraction for clinicians and the public alike. It is time to focus scarce analytical resources where savings are possible.”

Last month, the Government said it would not progress existing plans, given costs had risen to $3 billion, from an original budget of $1.2 billion. Instead, it will consider two options - a retrofit of the existing facility or a rescoped build at the planned new site. Both options would be considered at a budget of $1.88 billion.

Mr Hodgson says there are three main reasons why the retrofit option is even less attractive than in 2017, when it was last looked at. 

The first reason is expensive seismic strengthening will be needed, secondly, the ward block option has a high room for error compared with the planned inpatients block at the former Cadbury site where all the planning had been done. Thirdly, it would require the write-off of most of the costs already incurred. He put those costs at about $200m.

“In addition to those three reasons, all the other problems identified and meticulously described during the last National Government’s analysis in 2017 would still exist.

“Perhaps the most important of them all is that the hospital would become a construction site for almost a decade. Patients would need to be decanted, probably two floors at a time, when there is no idea where they might go. The chaotic work environment would make it difficult to recruit and retain staff. Those clinicians who remained loyal to the system would work in an environment that would be confused and risk prone, for nearly ten years. That would be very bad for their personal well-being and clinically unsafe as well.”

Health Minister Shane Reti’s office was today unable to provide an update on when a decision might be reached.

However, Dunedin City Council’s Save Our Southern Hospital campaign continues to broaden in scope.

Today, the campaign’s ambulance 'Cliff' is in Balclutha and Gore to spread the message. 

“These trips are all about spreading our campaign message to the people who need this hospital the most – the people of the South,” Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich says.

“It’s vital for everyone – all 350,000 of us – that the government listens and builds the hospital they promised. That’s the message Cliff will be bringing to the people of the South over the next few days.

“The itinerary just goes to show how critical this hospital will be for the entire Southern region, and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone along the way.”

Main image: The Dunedin Hospital could be retrofitted as part of changes to plans around a new hospital