| 111 T T Sue Russell Newmental health unit underway The new mental health facility will have 16 beds, with potential to expand to 20 in the future, while the layout of the bedrooms will bring flexibility to allow different types of patients’ special care needs to be met. COMMUNITY Te Whatu Ora - Lakes February 2022 saw a mauri stone ceremony performed by local iwi, Ngāti Whakaue to bless a new building project on the grounds of Rotorua Hospital that promises to better serve the needs of patients, whānau and the community. Replacing the hospital’s current mental health inpatient unit, nearing the end of its serviceable life is now well underway, with the first stage of earthworks completed. It is one of two major infrastructure projects that promise to deliver improved outcomes. “Ngāti Whakaue has been involved in this project since its inception. The mauri stone is a recognition of the status that mātauranga Māori has in the healing of a person. It also acknowledges the role that we as tāngata whenua have to play for our tāngata whaiora and their whānau – families. In essence the living essence of Te Ara Tauwhirotanga, our model of care, will be present throughout the building,” says Ngāti Whakaue representative, Kingi Biddle. Earthworks have now prepared the site and once the ground has settled construction will start with an expected completion date in early 2025. Following this the testing, fit out and staff familiarisation will happen before the new building enters service. An exciting element of this project is the co-design process which has resulted in a new model of care, Te Ara Tauwhirotanga Pathways that lead us to act with kindness, guiding development of the sector and driving the design of the new building. The new facility will have 16 beds, with potential to expand to 20 in the future, while the layout of the bedrooms will bring flexibility to allow different types of patients’ special care needs to be met. “These cohorts may include older people, people with particular vulnerabilities, or those who require a safe, low-stimulus environment with more intensive nursing,” says Te Whatu Ora Group Director Operations for Lakes, Alan Wilson. To prepare the ground, work began in October 2022 and included removing several buildings, which have been repurposed and moved to new positions, within the grounds of Rotorua Hospital, and at Taupō Hospital. Distinct challenges came in the form of Rotorua’s geothermal environment including minerals in the soil, the potential for hot liquid or higher temperature soils, and hydrogen sulphide gas, which can damage susceptible building elements. “These infrastructure projects are essential to ongoing improvement of patient safety and experience and to create spaces and facilities that were better suited to their purpose.” “The building, however, has been designed to account for these issues,” Alan says. “This includes a fully vented subfloor to allow heat and gases coming from the ground below to escape into the atmosphere, along with protective measures for the building’s services.” The high mineral content of the volcanic soil and the inability to reuse it in the landscaping has meant that most of the bulk earthworks materials will be removed to suitable waste management facilities. The second project, well underway, is a $6 million redevelopment to improve Rotorua Hospital’s Women, Child and Family facilities. A former ward has been completely refurbished and is currently being used as a temporary unit while the Birthing Unit and other parts of the WCF service are progressively renovated. This investment will bring the current facilities in line with relevant standards, improve the safety and experience of patients, and create spaces that are fit for purpose. The Birthing Unit is expected to be completed in November. Once this has happened, the Perinatal Unit upgrade will get underway, followed by the upgrade of the Children’s and Special Care Baby Units. “These infrastructure projects are essential to the ongoing improvement of patient safety and experience and to create spaces and facilities that are better suited to their purpose,” says Alan.
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