New Manukau hospital promises speedier surgery

South Auckland people are being promised speedier surgery with the opening this afternoon of a $30 million hospital in Manukau.

Within two years the Manukau Surgery Centre will handle the bulk of elective surgery now done at Middlemore Hospital.

Surgical services chief Meng Cheong says that in the past about 30 per cent of elective surgery was cancelled at Middlemore, primarily because theatres were tied up handling acute trauma cases.

He says the new centre, with six theatres, 75 beds and 150 staff, will aim for a 9 per cent cancellation record - to match the day-surgery record at the neighbouring Manukau Super Clinic and to better the previous world best of 10 per cent.

The hospital will be opened by the Prime Minister.