This morning I attended the official opening of the Hutt Hospital’s new ‘clip-on’ operating theatres. Funding for a major redevelopment of the Hutt Hospital’s operating theatres and Emergency Department was approved by the previous Minister of Health David Cunliffe and the temporary theatres, built in containers and bolted onto the side of the existing ED, are designed to keep things moving while the more major redevelopment progresses. The new clip-on theatres were completed on time and within budget.
As I sat through the opening formalities this morning I reflected on how far we’ve progressed in the past 18 months. In mid-2008 the Treasury were advocating for Hutt Hospital’s operating theatres to be relocated to Wellington Hospital. I recall the then Associate Minister of Finance summoning up all of his usual tact and diplomacy to stomp all over the idea.
Hutt people are rightly proud of our local health service. Back in the early 1990s the then National government tried to close Hutt Hospital completely. That prompted protests the likes of which the Hutt Valley had probably never seen before or since. Let’s hope the National Party learnt their lesson from that experience and don’t come back and try again this time around.
Very good news indeed
but it does beg the question of whether the Hutt needs its own DHB, or whether the region would be more efficient by bringing the Hutt and Capital Coast DHB’s together?
Prisoners in containers, hospitals in containers… what next? Politicians in containers?
What is the labour party’s response to housing prisoners in containers? I have little out of Chris on this, at this Rimutaka Prison.
Just make it clear the associate minister’s response was based on a logical whole of government approach – transport emergency services etc – not Hutt South special pleading. If I’d done that my response might have been a bit more formal and maybe less direct.
Now all we need are some staff.
@Asakewed, the reason goes back to Nationals expensive corporatism strategy of the early 90s for health.
Wellington , like Auckland had single ‘Area’ health boards previously.
the reason goes back to Nationals expensive corporatism strategy of the early 90s for health.
Surely the reason is that Labour thought it was a fine and worth keeping?
Yeah I’m more interested in why we don’t bring them together now – the move away from Area Health Boards to CHE’s was over a decade and two changes of government ago.
On the face of it, duplicating the admin and head office costs alone doesn’t make too much sense to me. Surely a pan-Wellington approach would be better?
@StephenR @ 2.07 – staff are there – some in fact had been spending more time than they wanted in private hospitals because of theatre related bottlenecks.
@StephenR @ 4.01 – if you didn’t notice the change from the for sale CHEs to the DHBs then either your eyes and mind were both shut or you were out of the country.
Trevor – I’m interested in your thoughts (and Chris’) on whether you think we should be looking at bringing the Hutt and Cap Coast DHB together.
No – think the Hutt has the real advantage of been nimble and well in touch with local community. Some of the back office stuff they have been doing and the Scott report is looking at extending is a much better approach – tho the idea of yet another layer of bureaucracy as Scott suggests doesn’t appeal.
Good to hear collaboration is happening on back office and admin fronts already – I hate duplication so its great to see boards working together without the need for forced amalgamation.
Yay for them
Long may that hospital service the community. 
@Trev 5-06, more like not paying attention so you’re probably right. Was biting at GWW’s ‘it’s Bolger/Shipley’s fault’ line.
@Trev @ 5-05 – i may not be reading you right or sufficiently informed, but you don’t seem to think there are shortages of medical personnel?
According to the Board Chair and senior medical staff they are able to staff their new arrangements from current staff and the more efficient and flexible theatre combinations means that they won’t need more staff to do considerably more operations.
Thanks Trevor.