New hospital? Tukituki MP says it’s ‘Hawke’s Bay’s time’; officials say it’s ‘some way off’

Tukituki MP Anna Lorck says progress is being made around the business case for a new hospital in Hawke's Bay. Photo / John Cowpland - Supplied

Hawke’s Bay could be on the cusp of a significant hospital upgrade, but just how far away it is depends on who you talk to.

Tukituki MP Anna Lorck is bullish about the prospect of approval being granted for a new hospital to be built in Hastings, along with remedial work on the existing emergency department (ED) and intensive care units (ICU) in the meantime.

She says there’s been “a lot of progress” made on the business case for a $700 million to $1 billion spend on a new hospital for Hawke’s Bay.

But then there’s Ian Grant.

That’s Ian Grant, Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand Programme Director for Regional Hospital Redevelopment Programme (Tranche 2), Infrastructure and Investment Group, to give him his full title.

He’s a little more circumspect on the topic.

Lorck, a former member of the old Hawke’s Bay District Health Board, says Hawke’s Bay is now right at the top of the list for Government intervention.

“The four hospitals that were ahead of us are all under way now, so it’s Hawke’s Bay’s time,” Lorck told Hawke’s Bay Today.

“It’s a project that will [entail] years [of] building, but it’s going to be another massive piece of infrastructure for Hawke’s Bay.”

Lorck is adamant that spending on major infrastructure projects will be what stimulates the region’s recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle.

“A lot of progress has been made on a business case for the hospital rebuild,” Lorck said.

“There is significant progress in getting the hospital master plan of how the rebuild is looking, and that will probably be the biggest standalone infrastructure project that this region has ever seen. It’ll be a $700 million to $1 billion project to build a big hospital.

“Will it be the hospital as we know it? Or will we look at standing up more services in a regional health hub for Napier? And do we need all non-direct acute services all on that site?

“It’s quite exciting what’s happening there around health infrastructure.

“Having been on the DHB, I’m a bit like a dog with a bone on this one.”

The official line, from the aforementioned Grant, is that nothing is over the line just yet, and in fact, it is “some way off”.

“Te Whatu Ora in Te Matau a Māui is still some way off presenting the programme business case for the redevelopment of the Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital,” Grant said in a statement.

“As with any proposed investment of this size, there are a number of considerations and actions that need to be worked through before an initial business case can be presented.

“The Infrastructure and Investment Group is supporting the development of an updated Clinical Services Plan for Te Matau a Māui that will help inform and identify the model of care priorities that any redevelopment will need to meet.

“Delivery and accessibility of healthcare services across the region will also be a significant factor in any investment decision.

“Once the Clinical Services Plan is complete, the development of an updated site master plan for Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital will be carried out.

“In the shorter-term, the need for the remediation of the well-understood limitations of the current ED and ICU facilities is being addressed and the development of respective business cases for each of these two projects is currently under way.”