Nelson Hospital upgrades

Since failing to meet quality standards in 2001, Nelson Hospital has undergone major changes, including the $35.4 million upgrade of facilities.

Accreditation is a voluntary process where health providers submit to a rigorous assessment carried out independently of the Ministry of Health by Quality Health New Zealand, a non-governmental organisation.

The hospital did not meet standards in three areas, said Denise Hutchins, district health board general manager of human resources and organisational management.

It had inadequate and outdated hospital buildings and facilities and inadequate privacy for patients in Braemar Hospital's intellectual disability unit. Its "internal systems and processes" were also criticised.

All of the district health board's services and facilities are due to be surveyed again in February.

Changes at Nelson Hospital included the $35.4 million upgrade of facilities, Miss Hutchins said. Partitions had been erected within the Braemar unit to enhance privacy, but residents were to be resettled in the community this year.

Also, a quality improvement council has been established to improve standards within the organisation.