Latest news with #WellingtonRegionalHospital
Scoop
28-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
New Emergency Department For Wellington Regional Hospital
Press Release – New Zealand Government Wellingtons ED is currently one of the poorest performing in the country, with outdated infrastructure that is no longer fit for purpose. The current layout is contributing to long wait times and people leaving without receiving care. Minister of Health Wellington Regional Hospital is set for a major upgrade, with a new emergency department and 126 additional beds and treatment spaces to be delivered as part of the Government's $1 billion Budget 2025 hospital infrastructure investment, Health Minister Simeon Brown has announced. 'This is a major investment in emergency and acute care for the Wellington region, delivering a modern, expanded emergency department to better meet the needs of patients,' Mr Brown says. 'Wellington's ED is currently one of the poorest performing in the country, with outdated infrastructure that is no longer fit for purpose. The current layout is contributing to long wait times and people leaving without receiving care. 'Our Government is determined to deliver better for patients, including those in Wellington and the wider region, and this investment is a key part of that. The new, larger emergency department will include 34 additional treatment spaces – boosting capacity from 53 to 87 – to reduce crowding and ensure more patients are seen promptly, especially during peak demand. 'The redevelopment will also provide 36 new inpatient beds to ease admission bottlenecks and enable smoother transitions from ED into appropriate care. Another 36 new outpatient consult and treatment spaces will improve access to follow-up care and ease pressure on acute services by supporting earlier intervention and faster recovery.' The project also includes critical upgrades to other key hospital facilities: Refurbishment of the Old Children's Hospital, transforming the historic building into a modern environment for clinical and non-clinical staff to support service delivery. Expansion of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) by four beds to strengthen the hospital's ability to treat the most critically ill patients and enhance its emergency and pandemic response. Expansion of the short-stay Medical and Surgical Assessment and Planning Units, providing 16 more additional spaces to support efficient and effective patient flow. Fit-out of refurbished floors in the Clinical Services Block, bringing underutilised areas back into service to support frontline care and reduce treatment delays. 'These upgrades are essential to ensure Wellington Hospital can deliver timely, high-quality care now and into the future. They'll relieve pressure on services, improve patient flow, and support modern models of care, while also creating a better working environment for frontline staff.' The previously funded $40 million design and enabling works for the new emergency department are well underway, laying strong foundations for the next stage of construction in 2026. The ICU expansion is expected to be delivered by 2027, ahead of the new emergency department becoming operational in 2029. 'Improving hospitals is a top priority for this Government. We are committed to delivering the infrastructure needed to support high-quality, accessible healthcare for all New Zealanders. 'This project is about future-proofing Wellington's emergency care – ensuring that as demand grows, the system is ready to meet it,' Mr Brown says.
Scoop
28-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
New Emergency Department For Wellington Regional Hospital
Minister of Health Wellington Regional Hospital is set for a major upgrade, with a new emergency department and 126 additional beds and treatment spaces to be delivered as part of the Government's $1 billion Budget 2025 hospital infrastructure investment, Health Minister Simeon Brown has announced. 'This is a major investment in emergency and acute care for the Wellington region, delivering a modern, expanded emergency department to better meet the needs of patients,' Mr Brown says. 'Wellington's ED is currently one of the poorest performing in the country, with outdated infrastructure that is no longer fit for purpose. The current layout is contributing to long wait times and people leaving without receiving care. 'Our Government is determined to deliver better for patients, including those in Wellington and the wider region, and this investment is a key part of that. The new, larger emergency department will include 34 additional treatment spaces – boosting capacity from 53 to 87 – to reduce crowding and ensure more patients are seen promptly, especially during peak demand. 'The redevelopment will also provide 36 new inpatient beds to ease admission bottlenecks and enable smoother transitions from ED into appropriate care. Another 36 new outpatient consult and treatment spaces will improve access to follow-up care and ease pressure on acute services by supporting earlier intervention and faster recovery.' The project also includes critical upgrades to other key hospital facilities: Refurbishment of the Old Children's Hospital, transforming the historic building into a modern environment for clinical and non-clinical staff to support service delivery. Expansion of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) by four beds to strengthen the hospital's ability to treat the most critically ill patients and enhance its emergency and pandemic response. Expansion of the short-stay Medical and Surgical Assessment and Planning Units, providing 16 more additional spaces to support efficient and effective patient flow. Fit-out of refurbished floors in the Clinical Services Block, bringing underutilised areas back into service to support frontline care and reduce treatment delays. 'These upgrades are essential to ensure Wellington Hospital can deliver timely, high-quality care now and into the future. They'll relieve pressure on services, improve patient flow, and support modern models of care, while also creating a better working environment for frontline staff.' The previously funded $40 million design and enabling works for the new emergency department are well underway, laying strong foundations for the next stage of construction in 2026. The ICU expansion is expected to be delivered by 2027, ahead of the new emergency department becoming operational in 2029. 'Improving hospitals is a top priority for this Government. We are committed to delivering the infrastructure needed to support high-quality, accessible healthcare for all New Zealanders. 'This project is about future-proofing Wellington's emergency care – ensuring that as demand grows, the system is ready to meet it,' Mr Brown says.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Billion-dollar Investment In Hospitals
Minister of Health Nelson and other communities will benefit from a billion-dollar upgrade and expansion of hospitals across the country, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. 'Budget 2025 funds a major redevelopment of Nelson Hospital. This will deliver a new inpatient building with more beds to meet population growth. The hospital's two main buildings will be refurbished, and essential services will be upgraded. The Budget package also provides funding for: Construction of a new emergency department at Wellington Regional Hospital The National Remediation Programme and small-scale infrastructure projects Increasing interim inpatient bed capacity across New Zealand Critical Auckland hospital infrastructure Palmerston North Hospital remediation 'Nelson's new 128-bed inpatient building – 41 more beds than current capacity – is expected to be built by 2029, two years earlier than planned. The hospital's two main buildings will be refurbished and seismically strengthened, and a new Energy Centre will house critical infrastructure. 'The $73 million design and enabling works for the new hospital are already well underway, and the $11 million emergency department expansion is expected to be completed by early 2026,' Mr Brown says. 'Wellington Regional Hospital's emergency department has long been inadequate to meet demand. The infrastructure boost will support construction of a new emergency department and specialist treatment spaces, refurbishment of the Old Children's Hospital, expansion of the Intensive Care Unit, and fit-out of refurbished floors in the Clinical Services Block. 'Providing more hospital beds quickly is also a priority. New funding will deliver at least three modular, transportable 32-bed inpatient units that can be moved where needed to support ongoing care while major infrastructure projects are underway. 'Budget 2025 also funds small-scale support for urgent infrastructure issues at hospitals nationwide. 'Fixing critical systems such as electrical, heating and hot water at Auckland City Hospital and Greenlane Critical Centre is a key priority. Patients care is being delayed due to outdated infrastructure which is failing. 'Patients and staff in Palmerston North will also benefit from major electrical, heating, and fire protection improvements.' Mr Brown says the Government is determined to reverse decades of under-investment in the health system. 'We are making the long-overdue investments needed to modernise our hospitals and strengthen our health system. 'Modern reliable infrastructure will help deliver more for patients, reduce waiting lists, and ensure Kiwis can get the timely and quality healthcare they expect and deserve. 'Today's announcement is in addition to the $6.39 billion of infrastructure investment already underway and will support Health New Zealand to deliver the modern reliable health infrastructure Kiwis rely upon. It's about delivering for New Zealanders now, and creating a system that will serve future generations,' Mr Brown says.
