Te Whatu Ora confirms Hawke’s Bay Hospital in government’s redevelopment programme

Planning for a major hospital infrastructure spend for Hawke’s Bay is officially under way.

Te Whatu Ora - Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay has confirmed, via social media and a press release, that the Government has now included Hawke’s Bay in its regional hospital redevelopment programme (RHRP).

target="_blank">Talk of a new hospital for Hawke’s Bay, or the refurbishment of the existing one in Hastings, has increased in recent weeks.

Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand has largely indicated that, while some initial feasibility work had taken place, speculation that a business case was being developed is premature.

But Te Aka Whai Ora regional director - central, Patrick Le Geyt, and Te Whatu Ora head of hospital and specialist services business partnering, Andrew Boyd, confirmed in a Te Whatu Ora - Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay video the business case is now in the pipeline.

A clinical services plan is the first step, which will be followed by a site master plan for Hawke’s Bay Hospital. That process will involve public consultation.

Hawke’s Bay is at step one of the four-step process, which would culminate in either a redeveloped hospital or a new purpose-built one.

A group, led by former Hawke’s Bay District Health Board member Dan Druzianic, has already identified a potential greenfield site, for a new facility adjacent to the Hawke’s Bay Expressway. That site sits between Hastings and Flaxmere.

A business case will determine if Hawke's Bay redevelops its existing hospital or builds a new one. Photo / NZME

In the Te Whatu Ora - Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay video, Le Geyt indicated the clinical services plan would consider the health needs of the entire region and whether the current site, on Omahu Rd, Hastings, remained the best location for the majority of services.

It’s estimated the four-step process will take years to complete. In the interim, work will be done to improve facilities at the existing hospital.

That includes upgrades to the emergency department and intensive care unit, refurbishment of the radiology department and the construction of an eighth surgical theatre as part of the surgical services expansion project.

In a supplementary statement to Hawke’s Bay Today, Te Whatu Ora confirmed Hawke’s Bay was now part of the RHRP.

“We are making steady progress towards the completion of a comprehensive clinical services plan, asset management plan and subsequent site master plan,” Te Whatu Ora director of capital investment, infrastructure and investment group Aaron Matthews said.

“Being part of the RHRP means funding has been allocated to support this initial planning and option analysis work. Funding for any redevelopment would need to be sought through the budget process once this work is completed.

“The timing and priority of any redevelopment of the hospital is yet to be determined.”

Hamish Bidwell joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2022 and works out of the Hastings newsroom.