Rotorua Hospital's children's unit has undergone refurbishment. Video / Laura Smith
Colourful artwork and improved treatment rooms will greet sick young people in Rotorua Hospital’s newly upgraded children’s ward.
Health minister Dr Shane Reti opened the hospital’s refurbished children’s unit on Tuesday, calling it a significant milestone for children and families in the Lakes community.
Changes to the children’s ward included renovated patient rooms, private rooms, and treatment rooms as well as improved negative and positive pressure rooms to help children with different needs.
Three negative pressure rooms helped children with infections, while the positive pressure room helped immunosuppressed children undergoing treatment such as chemotherapy to breathe clean air.
Te Whatu Ora Health NZ Lakes District group director operations Alan Wilson said there were more ensuites and brand new facilities “behind the walls”, such as the new air conditioning system.
Treatment rooms were “much better”, he said. “Scary” equipment was out of sight of the children and the Donovan Bixley artwork served as a distraction.
Lakes District group director operations Alan Wilson. Photo / Laura Smith
“All-in-all, it’s a more pleasant, welcoming environment for people to work in.”
In a speech at the opening, Reti said the upgrade reinforced the Government’s commitment to ensure the health system met the needs of local communities and improved health outcomes for all New Zealanders.
“As Health Minister, my priorities are clear: improving access, timeliness, and quality of healthcare. These are only achievable through fit-for-purpose infrastructure and a workforce that is well supported and equipped to provide high-quality care in their communities.”
Speaking to Local Democracy Reporting, Reti said it was a really good facility and he was pleased and proud for the people of Rotorua.
“They will come to this facility and they will receive excellent care and there will be better patient outcomes as a result of this upgrade.”
A Rotorua Hospital bed in a newly refurbished children's unit. Photo / Laura Smith
Reti said funding for the upgrade was set in 2022. This was under the previous Government.
He said the current Government’s health strategy spectrum had five top-line priorities including timeliness for surgery and specialist services, and wait times for emergency rooms.
Beneath those were “five modifiable behaviours”, such as addressing smoking, alcohol and exercise.
“And then beneath that are five pathologies that will be applying ourselves to; cardiovascular, respiratory, cancer, diabetes and mental health.”
Te Whatu Ora regional head of infrastructure Stephen Greenhough said the opening of the redeveloped unit was delayed after demolition work paused in February for costs to be reviewed.
Some parallel work continued during the review but the substantive project started in April.
It was originally scheduled to be finished in August but opened October 1.
Laura Smith is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. She previously reported general news for the Otago Daily Times and Southland Express, and has been a journalist since 2019.
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
