Present site not viable for `modern' hospital

Canterbury District Health Board chief executive David Meates says public consultation is still very much on the cards regarding the new health facilities for Kaikoura and says once there is something to report, the community will be invited to become involved in a consultation process.

Aware of public pressure to retain the existing site following a number of letters both to the CDHB and in the Kaikoura Star, Mr Meates wrote in a statement last week that extensive work had been undertaken to explore options for improving and or replacing buildings on the current site.

However this had highlighted a range of significant challenges and all the options had proven very costly and would threaten the ability to sustain the current range of services.

Mr Meates said the current buildings, some more than 90 years old, were at a stage where further renovations were not a viable option and the current layout did not facilitate a modern way of providing health services.

Significant modification would be required to meet the needs of general practice, rest home and hospital level care, as well as the support services such as district and public health nursing.

"We are aware of issues associated with the idea of a new site for a health facility and we are working with the Kaikoura District Council and local runanga to look at different location options," Mr Meates said.

"Our key focus will be a site that is accessible, provides minimal environmental risk factors and allows for a health facility that supports the co-location and integration of health services.

"At the same time, we continue to focus on a solution that will provide viable and sustainable health services for Kaikoura."

Mr Meates said that the CDHB would be working with the local community, health providers, council, Ngai Tahu and the local runanga in finding a solution which worked for everyone, and once a proposal was ready there would be public consultation on the plan.

Local health providers and members of the Kaikoura community were also a part of the design team working on the project, he said.

However this is not going to satisfy some, including Helen Morton, who is behind the petition to keep the hospital where it is.

"It will be too late to have public consultation once the health board has made their decision," she said.

Mrs Morton instigated the petition earlier this month after she realised no action was being taken and she wanted to make sure the voice of the people was heard.

"Reading that Kevin Heays didn't care where the hospital was built as long as we got one was the thing that really got me going," she said.

"The idea behind the petition was to get people thinking and talking about it."

And she has certainly achieved that aim, amassing a total of 971 signatures in less than a fortnight, close to 95 per cent of which she believes are from locals worried about the issue.

The petition has now been sent to the CDHB, along with a fact sheet summarising the views of those against the move.

Mrs Morton claims that there would be no other site which would have all the attributes of the current site required to deliver quality health services to the district.

The situation outlined to the CDHB for consideration along with the petition is as follows:

That the Government at the time agreed to pay a pound for pound subsidy on money subscribed by the Kaikoura District Council and the public.

With the addition of the lounge in the 1970s the community contributed funds for the furnishing.

In the late 1960s the community developed the old vegetable garden into the present Churchill Park giving hospital residents uninterrupted views of the mountains and the sea.

Many other community groups have contributed to the hospital with beds, chairs and other equipment.

The hospital is safe and central with easy access and plenty of parking.

There is an existing helipad in the park.

- © Fairfax NZ News