Monday 30 July 2012
Taupo Hospital Redevelopment Update
Lakes District Health Board is preparing to begin redevelopment of Taupo Hospital.
The Taupo Hospital redevelopment will see the ED double in size, from six to 12 cubicles, plus the inclusion of the Maternity Unit into the main hospital building, co-located with the ED. Additionally, the need to lift the seismic performance of the hospital building to the required levels, will see the full redevelopment of the inpatient ward area included in the upgrade work. The DHB hopes to have selected a main construction company early September, with work getting underway on site that month.
The Christchurch earthquake last February saw increased focus on seismic status of public buildings, including hospitals. Lakes DHB was able to incorporate seismic strengthening into the work it had planned for the older parts of Rotorua Hospital, prior to shifting staff into the areas.
The DHB has put the specifications for the hospital redevelopment to a selection of five main construction companies, with a late August deadline for their documents.
Work has been going on in Taupo for much of this year to increase the seismic strength of Taupo Hospital areas, prior to the full redevelopment starting later this year.
Lakes DHB has planned to sell off surplus land on the Taupo Hospital site to finance the redevelopment of the hospital. The hospital campus land is just over 11 hectares, and Lakes DHB decided in 2010 that 4.4 hectares of that land is surplus to requirements, and could be sold. The remaining area of 6.7 hectares is considered to allow plenty of room for further development of Taupo Hospital in the future.
The earlier cost of the Taupo redevelopment was set at $6.4million, but the seismic upgrading requirements, coupled with requested changes to the design of the Maternity Unit, have seen this cost rise to $12.88 million.
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