12 | T T Karen Phelps New facility ticking all the boxes Comprising six prefabricated units joined together on-site, the 731sqm building has been crafted to blend seamlessly with its natural surroundings. Buller Health Trust REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Buller Health Trust’s new medical facility in Westport is on the cusp of opening its doors. Located at 10 Bentham Street it is set to become a cornerstone of the community’s healthcare services, offering comprehensive medical and dental care under one roof, says one of Buller Health Trust’s trustees, Peter Kirkwood. “It’s great to have everything all in one place. It brings the practices and teams together and allows the trust to offer an even better service to the community. We’re looking forward to getting into the new premises.” The $4 million commercial complex is the result of collaborative efforts and has been meticulously designed and constructed to meet the evolving healthcare needs of the community. One main reception area will welcome patients and visitors, with one wing dedicated to dental services and the other to medical services. The facility has been purpose-built to provide a platform for growth and designed to accommodate future services. The project’s funding has been a community-driven effort, relying on fundraising, grants, and donations from locals and further afield. Peter says this underscores the collective commitment to improving healthcare access for the Buller community. One of the unique aspects of the new Buller Health Facility is its construction process, undertaken by South Peak Homes, a local company manufacturing quality factory built buildings. Comprising six prefabricated units joined together on-site, the 731sqm building has been crafted to blend seamlessly with its natural surroundings. It features Weathertex Weathergroove panel cladding for a stylish wood grain effect, reflecting the region’s rugged beauty. Peter says Warren French of West Trak Investments Ltd, supported by the team at South Peak Homes, have been instrumental in helping the community through their significant investment in the project. Peter says that the facility will house a comprehensive array of healthcare services and includes five doctor’s rooms, four dental rooms, a physiotherapy and gym area, ambulance emergency rooms, and a multipurpose room that could potentially host a pharmacy or specialist consultants. “It’s great to have everything all in one place. It brings the practices and teams together and allows the trust to offer an even better service to the community. We’re looking forward to getting into the new premises.” Buller Health Trust is also unveiling a new trading name for both medical and dental services: Kawatiri Health. “Trustees felt it was important to reflect the one-team approach now that Coast Medical and Westport Dental are sharing the same site. Kawatiri Health was a staff suggestion, and we really liked it too,” says trustee Jamie Cleine. The Buller Health Trust is a charitable trust set up by Buller District Council in 1997 when the only dental practice in Westport was closing down. The trust purchased the practice and has continued to provide quality dental care ever since. One of the key purposes of the trust is to maintain services in the District, so in 2020 when the only independent GP practice in town was also planning to close the Trust decided to purchase that and begin offering general practice medicine. “If trustees didn’t step up and take on the Coast Medical business I have no doubt that the community would have lost the option of an independent private GP. “It is important that we are able to provide complimentary services to the Te Whatū Ora offering and a genuine choice for people,” says Peter. Despite being established by the Buller District Council, the Buller Health Trust has remained self-sufficient, without drawing on ratepayer funding. The community’s support, along with significant sponsorship and funding from partners, has been instrumental in financing the fit-out of the new building. Sponsorship has also been pivotal to the project’s success with support from BT Mining, which helped to fit out the new building. The trust also successfully applied to The Trusts Community Foundation, which funded the brand-new dental suites, and to Pub Charity for other furniture and fittings. Peter says the trust is very grateful for all support. He says the imminent opening of the Buller Health Trust’s new facility is a testament to the power of community collaboration and the dedication of the trust and its partners. As the facility’s doors swing open, it represents not just a building but a promise of accessible, high-quality healthcare for the Buller community, where health and well-being take centre stage. “There is a clear commitment to expanding and enhancing the services offered,” says Peter, “ensuring long-term sustainability and providing genuine choice for our community.” PH: 03 768 0218 DARREN: 021 310 453 EMAIL: ADMIN@MBDCONTRACTING.CO.NZ MBD CONTRACTING LTD - 50 ARNEY STREET, PO BOX 114, GREYMOUTH, 7840 MBD is proud to support Buller District Council & Buller Health Trust
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