Redesign improves hospice services

BY: DAVID TAURANGA

It's been a long time coming but Hospice South Auckland's new ambulatory and day- stay facilities have been officially opened today.

The $200,000 redesign of facilities at Totara Lodge in Manurewa began in September last year and took Hawkins Construction eight weeks to complete.

Funding was donated by Pub Charity and the Hugh Green Trust gave just over $20,000 towards new equipment.

Nursing director Jessie Mravicich says the redesign is "a wonderful achievement" that will greatly improve the hospice’s services.

"This is an example of what happens when people work together and put their hearts and minds into something important," she says.

"We’ve wanted a facility that better meets the needs of the patients and their families. I think we’ve managed to get what we wanted and needed."

The redesign includes three specially built clinic rooms that integrate all outpatient services at one location as part of the hospice’s ambulatory care service.

The new clinics will better serve patients needing day procedures, such as blood transfusions, or requiring consultations from medical specialists, Ms Mravicich says.

They will also provide more privacy for patients and free up space for day procedures that in the past were carried out in one of the lounges or a patient room.

"It certainly makes it an easier working environment for both staff and volunteers," she says.

An improved kitchen layout and a sunroom extension will also provide a greater flexibility to the hospice’s day-stay support programme which allows patients to socialise.

Day-stay co-ordinator Janine Fletcher says the added space and facilities will go a long way to helping staff, volunteers and especially the patients.

"The programme gives our patients the chance to socialise with others and the opportunity to participate in a range of activities.

"These new facilities will greatly help us deliver our complimentary therapies such as massage and beauty therapy which enhance their well-being and make them feel good," Ms Fletcher says.

Hospice chief executive Gary Sturgess has paid special tribute to the Hawkins Construction team "who were brilliant in the way they went about the construction".

"You wouldn’t have known they were there.

"They were so unobtrusive and unbelievably considerate," Mr Sturgess says. "They are a fantastic group of guys and made it as easy as they possibly could for us to keep on functioning. Hawkins got the job done as quickly as they could."

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