Mayor floats idea of private ownership to hasten Hawke’s Bay’s quest for a new hospital

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst is a fan of the private and public sector combining to provide healthcare for the region.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst has floated the idea of private health providers funding a new regional hospital for Hawke’s Bay.

Work has begun on feasibility studies for a new hospital, potentially away from its present site in Hastings.

Tukituki MP Anna Lorck’s recent suggestion a business case for a $700 million to $1 billion spend was well progressed prompted Hazlehurst, Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise, Central Hawke’s Bay Mayor Alex Walker, Wairoa Mayor Craig Little and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council chairwoman Hinewai Ormsby to write a joint letter to Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall asking if that was the case and why none of them had been consulted.

Hazlehurst told Hawke’s Bay Today this week that Verrall had yet to reply.

“I’m hoping that we are going to get a response and I’m hoping that we do get to be involved in the process, because we need to be,” Hazlehurst said.

That statement has been disputed by a spokesperson for Verrall, who said the minister replied to the mayors and Ormsby on April 21.

Whatever the case, access to good healthcare remains an important issue for Hawke’s Bay in the post-cyclone rebuild.

Many people in the region were cut off from essential services such as hospital and specialist care, which concerns Hazlehurst greatly.

Infrastructure spending is required if the region is to recover from February’s weather event, but Hazlehurst says it is, perhaps, not best spent on a hospital.

Particularly when the region already has two private providers taking some of the burden off the public system.

“It might be that a government doesn’t have to own a new hospital,” said Hazlehurst.

“We’ve seen Royston and Kaweka expand and offer different services. That could be a different option [from] what’s on the table.

“Instead of a great, big new build, it could be that you have the private sector owning buildings and the Government providing the services.

“There are lots of options, and we’d just like to be at the table to put them forward.”

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst says facilities at Hawke's Bay's regional hospital are not fit for purpose.

Hazlehurst doesn’t dispute the need for a new hospital. The present one has “seismic issues” and “is not fit for purpose and the land it’s on is too small”, she said.

It’s simply the lack of communication that is Hazlehurst’s biggest issue at this point.

Under the old District Health Board model, for instance, a public panel made regular submissions to the board on behalf of the community. Under Te Whatu Ora, that opportunity no longer exists, she said.

Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand says it is working on a new national Consumer Engagement Model to allow better feedback.

Te Whatu Ora Hawke’s Bay said it would take its lead from Health New Zealand, but hoped to introduce what it called “a new consumer engagement forum” that would enable them to “re-establish key consumer relationships”.

Hazlehurst’s other frustration is the lack of consultation between central and local government.

“If we had a long-term plan of what Government services and Government infrastructure look like - and at the top [for Hawke’s Bay], you would have to put roading and healthcare - we could all work towards a plan, and you would know you could work towards your goal to have a new hospital by this date,” Hazlehurst said.

“I’d just like to see a concrete plan that by a date - even if it’s by 2030 - there will be a new hospital. Then we’d be able to have a full conversation about what the needs of our region are.”