Construction of the $48 million acute services block started ED artist impression early 2009. Emergency will open in February 2011 and the two levels above will open October 2011.

The new building will house Emergency, an Acute Hub and the hospital's Sterilising Services Unit on the ground floor with 100 beds, for the hospital’s general medicine and respiratory wards and a medical assessment and planning unit for the less acute Emergency cases, in the two floors above.

The new Emergency will be more than twice the size of the current department and will include:

65 assessment/observation bed spaces in new ED, 13 more than current ED
Separate child and adult areas
More acute rooms
More observation rooms for patients in need of ongoing emergency department care but not admittance to a ward
Separate procedure rooms
Negative pressure rooms for contagious patients
Private and comfortable whanau areas for families of seriously ill patients
Central staffroom and base
Large, weatherproof and private ambulance bay.

Getting around the ED construction
Pedestrian access into the Waiora Building and emergency drop-off parking (15 minutes) is available outside the old department on Pembroke Street but all visitors are encouraged to enter Waikato Hospital through Gate 1 off Pembroke Street and follow the signs to the carpark building.


ED staff inside their new building: Mary-Anne Spence, Simone Loveridge and Dr Graeme Bain	Latest construction photo - July 2010

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Waikato Clinical Centre

Construction timeframe: February 2010 – December 2013

The $118 million Waikato Clinical Centre is the most significant part of Waikato Hospital's building programme and the biggest hospital project ever seen in Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

The five-level 32,000m2 building will be parallel to the south side of the hospital’s red corridor and link directly onto the carpark at three levels.

Most outpatient clinics will be inside along with the interventional suite, same day admissions unit and additional theatres.

The hospital's critical care unit including intensive care and high dependency unit will move into level four.

The scope of work also includes demolition of the Smith Building and refurbishment of two levels in the Waiora Waikato Centre.

The building will open in three stages from March 2012 with full completion by the end of 2013.


March 2010, site demolition	Latest construction site view (looking west), July 2010

Temporary red corridor

While construction is underway on Waikato Clinical Centre, a temporary red corridor allows patients, visitors and hospital staff get around the building site. Most of the old red corridor closed early 2010.

Starting by the carpark building, the corridor cuts through old office space and travels outside the northern side of the Menzies Building, entering back into the hospital at Level 1 by Cardiac Care.

The new corridor is clearly signposted and still allows access to all the same hospital services. Help is also available for patients and visitors who are unsure.

Forensic upgrade – Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre

Construction timeframe: November 2008 – August 2010

The project involves three key tasks:

refurbish the three forensic wards in Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre
construction of a retaining wall and two new buildings – a Whare and Kokiri Centre
construction of a new main entrance for the service.

Forensic mental health is assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of individuals who are part of the criminal justice system and experiencing mental health difficulties. This type of care is provided in the Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre and patients can stay in the centre for long periods of time so it is important that the facilities meet their individual and cultural needs.

The refurbished and new facilities will allow the forensic service to provide better clinical and cultural care in a safer and more appropriate environment. The refurbished wards will have more indoor and outdoor space including dedicated areas for women and intellectually disabled people who require secure assessment and care.

The new layout will also make room for five service users to return to the Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre who have previously received care from other facilities in NZ.

The work will allow the centre to deliver a more comprehensive patient care journey starting with acute admission, sub acute, care and rehabilitation in a variety secure environments. Service users will move through these areas/wards as they are rehabilitated, with their treatment to be completed in the Transition House (where the day clinic was) and they have an opportunity to build further life skills before returning home.

The Whare and Kokiri Centre will focus on culturally appropriate treatment and rehabilitation. The Whare will be for cultural activities and meetings. The Kokiri Centre will be for rehabilitation activities including cooking, carving, art, computer skills and carpentry.

Refurbished forensic ward (31):

Latest construction photos, June 2010:

Assessment, Treatment and Rehabilitation Hub

Construction timeframe: mid 2010 - late 2011

This hub will have 113 beds for geriatric care, ortho-geriatrics, Organised Stroke Service and Mental Health for Older Persons.

People aged under 65 and requiring rehabilitation will also be accommodated in the Hub.

Significant outdoor areas and coutyard space are both part of the plans.

Construction also includes a bridge over Pembroke St to link the building with the main hospital. Demolition of older buildings is required beforehand.

Second Carpark Building

Construction timeframe: mid 2010 - early 2011

Located opposite the new Emergency (the current location of Momento café.), this new five-level building will have space for 220 vehicles and potentialy retail shops in the ground floor.

Acute Services and the Rehabilitation Hub will relocate more than 200 beds to the western side of the Waikato Hospital campus.

For the DHB to meet resource consent requirements, additional parking must be provided over that side so a second carpark building is required to be built and opened before these new two buildings open.

Main entry and carpark building

Opened 2008
Located at the eastern side of the campus, the building is the primary parking area for the public. It is open 24 hours a day, can hold over 800 vehicles and provides direct access into the main hospital buildings.

Currently, the carpark building is a fair distance from the clinic or ward you are visiting. This is only a temporary measure. When Waikato Clinical Centre opens in 2013 all clinics and day procedures will be housed in the centre which will link directly onto the carpark building.

In the meantime, you can catch a ride to your destination on one of the hospital shuttles that depart every 10-20 minutes on weekdays from Level B5 of the carpark and main entry building.

Roadworks

To provide easy access into the hospital and other facilities a new through-road was constructed at Waikato Hospital. This is now the route that all visitors and patients use with entry and exit through Gate 1 off Pembroke Street.

The Hamilton City Orbiter bus also travels along this road now stopping outside the new carpark building instead of on Pembroke Street.

Bus timetables

Delivery Suite and Women's Assessment Unit

Opened January 2009

The refurbishment of Waikato Hospital's Delivery Suite was the first for the area since it opened in 1979.

The revamped facility, located at level B3 Elizabeth Rothwell Building, provides a much more comfortable environment for women to give birth in.

The delivery suite now consist of seven larger and more private birthing rooms with natural light, soundproofing, modern décor, one entry and exit door and ensuite bathrooms with showers.

The Women's Assessment Unit, next to the Delivery Suite, is for pregnant women not in active labour or requiring high dependency care and post-natal care. The unit is a 24 hour acute and semi-acute service for women.

Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Opened February 2009

The new unit is an extension out from the old premises with a new level above the delivery suite.

The new premises are four times larger with greater patient capacity and more space for staff and visiting family. Some of the nurseries overlook the Hamilton Lake, a view parents and family members will appreciate after spending weeks, sometimes months in the unit.

The old NICU area has also undergone refurbishment to create a new reception area and temporary accommodation rooms for parents of newborns in the unit.

Thames Hospital

Thames Clinical Centre opening ceremony The upgrade of Thames Hospital was completed in 2008 and the new buildings were officially opened in February 2009, this included:

Sperry Lane Café, a new hospital kitchen and dining area
Thames Clinical Centre construction, to house emergency department, radiology and outpatients
Inpatient Unit construction, to house the hospital wards and a high acuity unit.

Work is now underway on a new primary birthing facility for the region.

Thames Birthing Unit will be located opposite the Thames Clinical Centre entrance at 412 Mary Street when it opens early 2011.

Photos


Thames Clinical Centre	Thames Inpatient Unit

Page last updated on 30/07/2010