'Near or beyond end-of-life': Poor state of some of Hawke's Bay Hospital laid bare

A new report has highlighted the poor state of much of Hawke's Bay Hospital. Photo / File

Hawke's Bay Hospital's electrical infrastructure is "near or beyond end-of-life" and in some parts of the Hastings building, power cuts are a regular occurrence.

The state of the aging hospital is laid bare in a report by the new National Asset Management Programme (NAMP) for district health boards around NZ.

Assessments were piloted at the Nelson Marlborough and Hawke's Bay DHBs, then implemented at the remaining 17 DHBs.

The report found the high-voltage supply to the Hastings building site is in poor condition with regular failures, and major switchgear was vulnerable to failure, with operating theatres particularly vulnerable.

Generators do kick in in the event of a failure.

Executive director financial services Carriann Hall said HBDHB was "pleased" to be a pilot site for NAMP.

In each case, assessments were completed in collaboration with charge nurses and key clinical staff.

"We worked closely with the team who developed the report on the infrastructure state of hospitals for the Government," she said.

"We believe the report provides a fair and accurate assessment of the Hawke's Bay Hospital facilities."

She said the DHB had been aware of the issues around electrical supply highlighted in the report and had a rolling programme of work to upgrade its electrical system.

"Progress is being made on the high voltage supply, with initial upgrades to high-risk areas completed," Hall said.

"The DHB is currently in the final stages of the replacement of the main electrical switchboard for the boiler house, which was highlighted in the report."

The main switchboard of the boiler house and the sub mains scored average to poor, in the report.

The report scored the central heating and air conditioning system poor - a system that came under fire from patients who were given iceblocks and fans to keep cool during this summer's extreme heat.

"The HVAC and building management system scored average to poor. The windows and doors show signs of deterioration and scored average to poor. The inpatient wards lack cooling," stated the report.

The report also noted the clinical services at the hospital were in buildings of various ages which are joined at ground floor level.

"This joined construction creates complexities with passive fire-separation that appear to be managed reasonably well."

It highlighted the leaky roof of the laboratory.

"This is located on the first floor and straddles the emergency and radiology services," the report stated.

"There are roof leaks due to the dissimilar footprints of the two storeys. The building cladding, roof and walls scored poor to very poor."

The DHB also scored poor on design principles for ICUs, inpatient units and emergency departments.

For intensive care units, the key principles involved in poorer scores included - infection control issues related to the separation of patients, separation of clean and dirty workflow and the quality of surface finishes, lack of privacy for people in care and poorly sized and shaped spaces for key clinical work.

The hospital lifts scored average to poor.

Hall acknowledged the age of a number of a buildings at the hospital, which would require a "sizeable investment" to rectify.

"We are committed to maintaining the general condition of our buildings and services, however, a number of the buildings are very old, such as the ward tower block, Intensive Care and Emergency Department units, which will require sizeable investment to rectify.

"The DHB had already begun the initial planning needed to provide a business case for those major facility improvements."

The Ministry of Health's NAMP is part of a government-wide focus to improve capital funding decisions, capital investment plans and asset management, and to ensure investments deliver the best value for New Zealanders.