The father of a premature baby staying in Rotorua Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit has raised the alarm over rainwater leaks, a broken security door and what he described as “rotten floors” in the facility.
Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora said safety is its top priority and it has just approved a “significant refurbishment” of the unit, including replacing the leak-prone roof.
Te Kawana Tapara told the Rotorua Daily Post his daughter, Amerah Kaj Royalty Tamati-Tapara, was born at 33 weeks on February 3.
She had been in the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) since and could still be there for another two to three weeks, he said.
Tapara claimed that when he was at his daughter’s bedside on Friday he noticed rainwater leaking through the ceiling on to the walls and electrical outlets, “where life-sustaining monitors are plugged in”, including breathing and heart-rate monitors.
Tapara said there was also water ingress above the unit’s main entrance, where he could hear water dripping.
He provided a video, which he said showed the main security access door to the SCBU “failing to latch or lock automatically” after being opened.
Other infrastructure issues were brought to his attention “by multiple parties familiar with the ward’s long-standing maintenance failures”.
Tapara claimed the hospital had to shut down power units to avoid fire and electrocution when it rained, “meaning essential services for these babies are being cut off”.
In his view: “The facility is in a state of decay – rotten floors … and an isolation room that isn’t airtight.”
He claimed the HVAC/heat pump system issues meant temperatures in the unit fluctuated.
In his view: “If this were a private daycare, WorkSafe would have shut it down by now. Why is a public hospital held to a lower standard?”
He said there were several premature babies in SCBU, including his daughter, who was “fighting to grow”.
“I don’t think she should be fighting a failing building at the same time.”
Tapara contacted Health NZ on Friday about the “critical infrastructure failures” and sent a petition calling for “urgent intervention”.
He asked for a response within 24 hours outlining steps taken to secure the SCBU entrance lock, the emergency mitigation plan for electrical units during rain, and the relocation protocol for infants should the incubator room continue to leak.
The petition asked for “an instant, transparent fix” for the roofing and electrical systems, a health and safety report confirming the ward was safe for neonatal occupancy, and a plan for the SCBU’s modernisation to meet national health standards.
He contacted WorkSafe on Saturday about his concerns.
The Rotorua Daily Post put Tapara’s concerns to Health NZ.
In a Wednesday statement, Health NZ Lakes operations group director Alan Wilson said patient and staff safety was its top priority and it would meet with Tapara to discuss the issues he raised.
“We acknowledge these matters and understand they are concerning for whānau, particularly when they involve our most vulnerable babies.”
Wilson said the roof above the unit had experienced “historic leaking during periods of heavy rain”.
“When leaks have occurred, they have been addressed promptly. The recent incident was responded to immediately.”
Wilson said Lakes staff had “appropriately raised concerns relating to the leaks”. These were escalated and managed in line with its standard maintenance processes.
“When any service advises us of an issue, we act quickly to assess and rectify it.”
Wilson said the security door referenced needed repair and work was under way.
The door was in a “climate-controlled clinical environment” and was prioritised accordingly.
Wilson said the facilities team regularly serviced, assessed and repaired the area’s infrastructure as part of its ongoing maintenance programme.
Importantly, the SCBU was scheduled for “significant refurbishment” as part of a wider capital works programme approved last week, he said.
This project included a “full roof replacement”, upgrades to air conditioning and electrical systems, replacement of the air handling unit within the HVAC system, and “a general upgrade of the facility”.
The floor replacement would be part of the upgrade, with maintenance done as required.
The total project budget had not yet been formalised, but seed funding of $300,000 to progress design and business casing was approved by the Regional Investment Committee last week.
“These improvements will provide a more resilient and modern environment for our most vulnerable patients, their whānau and our staff,” Wilson said.
“We remain confident in the safety of clinical care being delivered within SCBU and will continue to monitor and maintain the environment while the approved redevelopment work progresses.”
A WorkSafe New Zealand spokesperson said it received a health and safety concern about the SCBU and reviewed the information; however, Health NZ was responsible for keeping hospital buildings and clinical spaces safe and fit for use.
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and the Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.