10 | Kensington Private Hospital � Kim Newth Surgery meeting Northlanders’ needs Many credentialled specialists using Kensington Hospital’s facilities are nationally recognised experts in their fields. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Combining modern facilities with excellent specialist surgical and nursing care and services, Kensington is Northland’s only comprehensive private surgical hospital. It has five operating theatres and a 21-bed inpatient suite, as well as a day-stay unit, and offers a wide range of surgical services. Having a facility like this provides Northlanders with access to specialist surgery options in their own region, as well as assisting to alleviate the pressure on local public hospital resources. Kensington Private Hospital also has plans to grow further in coming months to help meet Northland’s rising surgical needs. “We have well-developed plans for a sixth operating theatre and another eight ward beds and are looking towards providing this early next year,” says Kensington’s CEO Steve Soufflot. “If we were not here, patients would definitely need to travel out of the region for surgeries. That would be challenging from an equity perspective, given that many don’t have the means to travel or the right family supports in place.” Over half of the referrals to Kensington Hospital are generated either through ACC or Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, meaning a significant number of people being seen at Kensington are not private paying or insured patients. Kensington Hospital has adopted a collaborative approach on working with the public sector to target optimal outcomes for the region’s patients. “If you look at private and public health as one whole picture, we like to work together so we can get the best outcomes for as many Northland patients as possible,” says Steve. “We have had over 500 public patients through Kensington in the first half of this year – that’s 500 patients who would not have got surgery otherwise. That’s really good for Northland and its people. All our patients are at the centre of what we do. We’re really proud of our team and the effort they put in to give top-quality care.” Many credentialled specialists using Kensington Hospital’s facilities are nationally recognised experts in their fields, who chose Northland for its idyllic lifestyle. “We’ve had 10 new surgeons coming on board since March, each bringing niche specialty expertise that enables us to further grow what we offer,” Steve says. The 110-strong nursing team at Kensington are known for their exceptional care and service, with that same caring ethos shared by the hospital’s anaesthetic technicians, healthcare assistants, sterilisation team and support staff. Many surgeries undertaken at Kensington Hospital are life-changing for patients. Common procedures include cataract surgery, hip and knee-joint replacements, cancer surgeries and diagnostic endoscopies and colonoscopies. In paediatrics, Kensington regularly undertakes grommet surgery and tonsillectomies. “It’s important that children needing grommet surgery, for example, can access it in a timely way to improve their hearing and quality of life, and to keep them learning.” While public hospitals have more infrastructure in place to manage acute caseloads, Kensington Hospital is very well equipped for the range of specialist surgery it undertakes. “Examples of where we’re leading the way in technology include knee replacement surgery. A few years ago, we were the first private hospital in the North Island to introduce robotic knee replacement surgery, which is very accurate and precise and is now used widely through most hospitals. Kensington Hospital is run independently. Part-owned by Allevia Health, Kensington can access the group’s bigger resource base when needed. The hospital’s board of directors includes two health governance leaders from Allevia Health, two local surgeons and two independent directors, including board chair Nikki Davies-Colley.
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