Christchurch Hospital’s new building on track   14 Aug 2015

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says the development of the Acute Services Building at Christchurch Hospital is progressing well.

Dr Coleman today met the project team and visited the construction site.

“The Government is committed to building high quality health facilities in Christchurch,” says Dr Coleman.

“On track for completion in 2018, the Acute Services Building is now well into the foundation construction phase. Two of eight large concrete pours have been completed by foundation contractors Fletcher Construction.

“One of the later pours will make the record books as the largest continuous concrete pour by a single contractor ever undertaken in the South Island.”

The Acute Services ten-storey building will include operating theatres, intensive care, radiology, acute medical assessment and an expanded emergency department, plus support areas.

A rooftop helipad will significantly reduce transit times for acute patients. The new theatres will allow the DHB to perform an additional 6,000 surgeries a year.

Inpatient ward blocks over six floors will provide approximately 400 beds. Space will be left to extend future ward capacity by a further 140 beds.

“The process of designing the Acute Services Building has been clinically led and has involved hundreds of clinical staff working alongside architects, health planners and the public,” says Dr Coleman.

The Acute Services Building and the Burwood Hospital developments represent the most significant public hospital projects ever in New Zealand, together costing an estimated $650 million. The new facilities at Burwood are on track to open in 2016.

ENDS

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