New south Auckland health park revealed

North Building, Radiology Entrance

Designs for the expansion of Manukau Health Park released in October 2021 bring to life what will be an approximately 50% increase in the size of the Super Clinic facilities by 2024.

“The planned Manukau Health Park expansion will include the refurbishment of some existing services, the relocation of others and the construction of three new buildings. In total there will be 48 new clinic rooms,” says Mark Gosche,Counties Manukau Health Board Chair.

“The new north building will include expanded radiology services with new CT and MRI machines. There will also be an expanded breast care centre. The outpatient kidney care centre (Ambulatory Renal), will be relocated from Middlemore Hospital and there’ll be 13 more dialysis chairs for community patients and training for selfadministered dialysis, so that people can manage their care at home.”

Mr Gosche says the new east building will include expanded ophthalmology and women’s health areas, which will increase clinics and procedures while a new west building will include four new theatres and new sterile services department.

“Many of the existing services at the Manukau Health Park will be refurbished and repurposed to maximise clinical space,” he adds.

The design has gone through an extensive collaborative design process as the architects engaged with mana whenua, consumers and clinicians. Project lead, Dana Ralph Smith says “We have worked with local Iwi who were adamant this should be a health park as opposed to a clinic; a place where health is encouraged.

“The entranceway has been made to look more like a marae, giving it a welcoming feel. We wanted the new buildings to feel as familiar, warm and inviting as possible.

“The entrance has been adapted to look like a whare. We hope people will feel comfortable as they walk into this new place of healing.”

The expansion is important for the future health of everyone in this area, Mr Gosche concurs. “Growing Manukau Health Park is crucial to our core strategic initiative to separate planned care from acute services, and thereby decongesting Middlemore Hospital.

“The tenders for the first package of infrastructure and enabling works closed recently and we’re planning to break ground before the end of this year.”

Manukau Health Park (Super Clinic and Surgical Centre) provides specialist outpatient appointments and planned (elective) surgeries. It opened in 1997 to provide healthcare for a population which has since grown significantly, so this is a welcome expansion to benefit the communities of South Auckland.

West Building, Theatres and CSSD

North Building, Ambulatory Renal

North Building, Ambulatory Renal Entrance

NEW SPINAL AND ADULT REHAB UNIT IN PLAN

A new $110 million Spinal Unit and Adult Rehabilitation Unit will also be part of the redeveloped Manukau Health Park.

The new, purpose-built spinal facility replaces the existing Auckland Spinal Rehabilitation Unit at Otara and the General Rehabilitation Service in the Colvin Complex at Middlemore Hospital. On announcing the funding early in 2021, the Minister of Health, Andrew Little said patients coming into the facility will have experienced a lifechanging event.

“Quality, modern and fit-for-purpose facilities are absolutely crucial for them and for the specialised staff who care for them.” The new unit will provide high-quality, integrated services for patients from the top half of the North Island. Mr Little said making the new facility part of the $229.4 million extended super-clinic meant community rehabilitation teams could work together in the same place to provide physical and vocational therapy. “This is the kind of thing we need to do across the country – make sure services are working together for the good of patients.

“We have a vision of excellence for our health system. We want to ensure consistent, high- quality care is available when people need it, no matter where they live, and we want to harness leadership, innovation and new technologies to the benefit of the whole population.”

NEW PRIVATE HOSPITAL FOR PUKEKOHE

Franklin Hospital, the district’s new and long-awaited private hospital is a welcome addition to the region’s medical facilities.

Opened in August 2021, the new facility offers surgical and endoscopy services, an urgent care pharmacy, radiology, new premises for Pukekohe Family Doctors and a café.

Surgical services cover orthopaedic, gynaecological, plastic, maxillofacial, head and neck, and dental surgeries from specialists who consult at the hospital’s specialist centre and operate in its digital theatres.

Endoscopy services include colonoscopy, gastroscopy, orbera balloon (weight loss programme) and flexible sigmoidoscopy procedures.