Health Minister opens $67m Whakatane Hospital

  • Tony Ryall
Health

Health Minister Tony Ryall today officially opened the $67 million Whakatane Hospital redevelopment which future-proofs health services in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

“This is truly one of the best days in my time as Minister of Health and MP for the Bay of Plenty. It is fantastic to see our government's 2008 election commitment fulfilled on-time and on-budget” says Mr Ryall.

“With a bigger footprint, more hospital beds, and extra services, this new building will ensure the 50,000 people living in the region continue to receive high quality health care for many years to come.

“The new building includes three state-of-the-art operating theatres, a larger emergency department, a modern radiology department, bigger inpatient wards, an acute care unit for patient observations and a 10-bed children’s ward.

“As demand increases there is room to grow. Currently 38 medical and surgical ward beds are open, but there is space for 61 beds in the future.

“Thanks to the input from doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and patients, the building has been designed to improve patient care.

“In the old Stanton Block the emergency department, intensive care unit, CT scanner and radiology department were all located on different floors. These services are now located together.

Mr Ryall says this new building makes it easier for staff to provide better, faster, and more convenient care for patients.

"The Eastern Bay has great health services and very good staff here at the hospital. Both of my children were born here and I am very confident about the future of healthcare in this region under a National Government.

“This government has invested around $1 billion into capital projects for district health boards and we will continue to invest more money to upgrade public hospitals.

“This includes the $83 million revamp at Rotorua Hospital, the new $190 million clinical services block at Middlemore Hospital, the $80 million Taranaki Hospital upgrade and the $27 million East Wing redevelopment at Tauranga Hospital,” says Mr Ryall.