FAQs

The Frequently asked Questions are updated regularly and distributed to all staff.

Please contact Emily Radnor if you have any feedback or questions that you would like answered as part of the Wairau Hospital Redevelopment Project

QWhy does the Wairau Hospital need a redevelopment?

AThe current site is fragmented and dispersed and with over 20 different entrances into the hospital, offers a risk to security. Some internal areas around the hospital are inappropriate for modern and efficient service delivery.

Q How have we got to where we are now?

A Since 2004, a dedicated team of staff and consultants have been working on the redevelopment of the Wairau Site. In August 2006, the Business Case for the redevelopment was approved and the Ministry of Health allocated $36.6M for the new hospital and the Project Team lead by Martin Ridgway, Project Director was established.

Since then, Architects and Health Planner, Quantity Surveyors, Project Managers, Structural, Civil, Electrical and Fire Engineers, Building Contractors, Change Managers, and Acoustic Consultants have joined the team.

The Architects and Health Planner worked closely with the Project Team and Senior Management to develop a Master Plan (facilities were represented by blocks to illustrate important co-locations, patient and public flows, and gave an aerial footprint for the new site) for the redevelopment using some of the existing buildings which was signed off by the NMDHB Board in February 2007

Q How was the Preliminary Design developed?

A Upon the completion of the Business case and approval of the Master Plan, Architects and Health Planners worked closely with the DHB staff and  12 clinical user groups across the hospital covering all departments from Peri – Operative to Social Workers and Imaging. These user groups met fortnightly for the past 12 months and worked through the various design phases.

QAs part of the redevelopment project, what are the phases that are worked through?

A The Master Plan which was agreed by the board was gradually turned into a hand drawn ‘Concept Plan’ by the Architect / Health Planner with User Groups who focused on the internal configuration of their departments and identified where rooms and entrances would be located. 

User groups then moved into the Preliminary Design phase where more detail was added and the plan was converted into an electronic CAD format, doors and bed spaces were shown on the plan and the departments were drawn to scale.

At this phase of the planning, the DHB provided a Preliminary Design Report to the Ministry to allow for the remaining funds to be released for the remaining project.

User groups are currently working through the next phase of design, Developed Design in which more room layout detail is added, tables and chairs are shown, ceiling tracks for curtains, sinks, dirty utility, PC locations and other specialist equipment are included in the plan.

After Developed Design, the user groups will progress through the final Detailed Design Phase which finalises colour schemes, furniture, signage, and the different materials to be used in the fit out of the buildings.

Q What are the Guiding Principles behind the Redevelopment project?

A For the development of the original business case in 2004, the NMDHB decided on some guiding principles that were seen as being important to use for the redevelopment. These are:

• Patient/Client centred - Meet identified community and patient needs
• Staff Supportive - Promote a culture of learning and innovation
• Evidence based - Demonstrate effective integration across continuums of treatment and care
• System minded - Promote collaboration between health service providers and other agencies and sectors.
• Funding Fit - Demonstrate financial accountability

Q What are the design principles that have been used in the Redevelopment of the Wairau Hospital?

A During the development of the Business Case, the important design principles, models of care and criteria were discussed and put forward to help inform the architects and combat the issues with the current site. These design principles include:

• Catalyst for comprehensive health centre
• Larger, more flexible units thus reducing the number of small inefficient units
• Better, closer co-locations with shared support areas
• Increased ambulatory capacity
• More effective utilization of facilities & staff resources
• Reduce risks associated with smaller provincial Hospital
• Streamlined processes
• Facility design based on Australasian standards
• Room for future expansion

Q When will construction actually start and who will be building it?

A Construction is expected to begin in early 2008 and take a minimum of to 21 months to complete. The Board has recently approved Hawkins Construction as the preferred contractor as part of the design team for the construction of the facility.

The Hawkins team will be led by Quin Henderson (Regional Manager), Lloyd Robison (Design Team Leader) and Gavin Daech (Cost Planner and Senior Estimator).

Martin Edwards, Project Manager, will be based on site full time and will manage the construction works. Mr Edwards has wide-ranging experience in health and has recently completed the Christchurch Women’s Hospital and worked on the construction of the Middlemore Hospital.

Q When will the project be completed and the new hospital is opened?

A It is expected that the construction will commence early 2008 and will take a minimum of to 21 months to complete. This will result in the overall completion of the facility in early 2010.

The construction of the project will be phased and some of the new facilities will be available for occupation in 2009.

Q What is the impact of the preliminary design review? Will the project be delayed?

A It is expected that the review process will take 8 weeks, however, user groups are still meeting and progressing with process mapping their current services.

Q Why is the NMDHB selling the land around the hospital?

A The business case included the sale of some land as part funding the redevelopment. As a Crown Entity NMDHB must follow the requirements of the NZ Public Health and Disability Act and reinvest the proceeds into new health facilities. Once the final design has been completed the surplus area will be identified.

The process that will be followed will require the Minister of Health to approve disposal. Following that:

• Clearances then to be sought under
• section 40 Public Works Act
• Office of Treaty Settlements
• Sites of significance
• NMDHB could use Crown Health Financing to assist in the disposal

Q How can staff and the community find out more information on the redevelopment in general?

A The new website will be a great source of information on the progress of the redevelopment project and we will endeavour to keep the community and staff up to date with regular Ex-Site Newsletters and press releases.

Emily Radnor, Project Administrator & Communications Coordinator is available to contact for any other queries or feedback.

Q Can the community and staff have an input into the internal look, design and art work for the hospital?

A When the project moves into more detailed planning late 2008, a consultation group will be set up to discuss the internal design and feel of the hospital and entrance ways.

It is hoped that the hospital may be able to feature many local art and photography including some memorabilia from the old hospital.

Q What kind of services are going to be offered in the new hospital?

A The new Hospital will provide the same services that are currently provided from Wairau Hospital.

New models of care have been developed that incorporate a continuum of care for the patient and provide improved management and collaboration across the boundaries of primary (GP and community health services), secondary (Wairau Hospital services) and tertiary (specialist hospital like Wellington and Christchurch) care. These models of care help:

• Describe essential service adjacencies and co-locations
• Ensure that the redevelopment reflects the wider community of interest and the cultural needs of Maori.
• Inform the facility planning process

Q Why are co-locations and flows important to get right?

A The co-locations of departments and the design within departments are both informed by best practise, standards and staff experience and expertise.

Co located services like Inpatients (Medical, Surgical and Assessment Treatment and Rehabilitation), outpatients, and allied health services will improve the “way finding” for the public / patients / Families / Whanau.

Co location of the more ambulatory services like outpatients, laboratory, radiology and day stay surgery close to the front door of the hospital will make access easier for patients and visitors.

Co location of “like” services also enables similar services to share spaces like utility rooms, equipment storage, waiting areas, and in some areas patient spaces, for example outpatient consultation rooms.

Q What will the provision of car parking be?
A User groups have been consulted on the number of parks required. Car parking will be provided around the perimeters of the buildings and we will be retaining the same number of car parks as presently provided on site.

Q Will there be a Whanau room?
A The Existing Whanau / Family Room will remain in its current position. This will remain as a sleep over facility. There will be additional spaces for relatives’ multi faith Chapel / Quiet Room in a central area of the new development.

Q What is the allocation of air-conditioning in the new hospital?
A The new hospital facility is to be guided by reducing greenhouse gasses/emissions. Using and installing air-conditioning increases these emissions and therefore air-conditioning will be limited to areas where there is a clinical requirement or departments/rooms that have no access to natural/ventilated air flow. The project team is working closely with the designers and engineers to ensure that the hospital adopts alternative cooling options for the facility. At later stage in the design process, the engineers will provide a drawing identifying the areas that will have air conditioning installed.

Q Where are the library and other Support services located?
A These services will be located on the upper floor of the Arthur Wicks building.

Q How has the Project Team come to the number of beds required for the new hospital?
A Over the past few months, many staff have become concerned around the number of bed spaces planned for the new hospital. A new bed model was prepared on forecasts using historic patient volumes with future volume increase applied combined with the census analysis, to provide sufficient beds to 2014.

The configuration of the bed spaces will differ in the redeveloped campus, to reflect the changing profile of health care and new models of care. It is proposed that there will be an additional 5 bed spaces from current when the new campus is complete. Expansion zones for further beds will also be planned for.

Q How do I get to see a full Preliminary Design Plan?
A There should now be updated Preliminary Design Plans in all of your departments. There are also plans located on all Notice Boards and on the intranet. Staff need to remember that the design phase is iterative and ever changing, so don’t be surprised if things change!

Q Will there be additional storage on site?
A A separate equipment store room will be located on the campus. This room will store loan equipment and other bulky equipment from around the Inpatient, Allied Health and other areas around the hospital.

Q What will happen to the existing landscaping/ memorial trees?
A Staff may have noticed that roses and trees around the theatre / DSU / AT&R and front of Hospital block have been removed. These have been re-housed in various locations around the hospital campus that will be safe throughout the redevelopment construction phases.
If there are any other memorial trees that the project team may not be aware of, staff are to notify Chris Beekmeyer, Property Officer.

Q What will happen to the surplus land?
The Project Team has only been briefed to undertake the work to redevelop the hospital within the defined land parameters. The decision around the future of the excess land around the new facility is the responsibility of the NMDHB board.
It is noted that proceeds from any surplus land disposal will be invested in the Wairau Site Redevelopment Project. Any decision on the surplus land will be handled in accordance with governmental processes and take into account any future development forecasts.

Q How have the Maori Community and Staff been involved in the Hospital Redevelopment Project?
A As part of the project structure, a Maori Reference Group was established to provide input and advise on the Maori cultural requirements of the new facility. This group is made up of DHB employees and community members.

Some user groups also have Maori representation on them such as the Mortuary / Body hold group, Allied Health and Inpatient groups. The Director of Maori Health and Iwi Health Board Representative participate in on the Steering Group and there is also Maori representation at the Internal Coordination Group.