Integrated health facility developments
Two weeks ago, the interim management group (IMG) of the integrated health project announced that they favoured the existing hospital site for a planned integrated facility. Negotiations around alternatives have continued, however, and the owners of the Rototai Road site are releasing eleven adjacent sections for sale in a move they say makes their site even more attractive.
“The whole 14-hectare block is zoned residential,” said Bernal Reilly, one of the owners. “That means that if the health facility is built there, it could be in the middle of a new development of up to 80 to a 100 sections. We think that there are plenty of people in more remote parts of the Bay who are interested in downsizing and moving closer to town to be handy to facilities like doctors’ surgeries.”
The Rototai site includes a 4000 square metre section on which the Golden Bay Medical Centre Community Trust is interested in building a new medical centre. A land-use consent for that purpose has already been granted.
“There’s also more land adjacent to that site that can be made available for the rest of the integrated facility,” said Mr Reilly. “The rest of the integrated facility could be connected to the medical centre by a corridor.”
Mr Reilly met with members of the IMG last Monday to discuss further aspects of his site. After the meeting he spoke about what he had discussed with the IMG representatives, Andy Clark and John Crocker.
“I emphasised the fact that the site gets all-day sun and that its proximity to the schools is an advantage too. What better tonic could a long-stay or short-stay patient get than a wave and a smile from their children or grandchildren going to school?”
The final matter discussed was price and Mr Reilly told the IMG that there was “room to move” on that.
IMG member Peter Burton said that he personally hoped that people do not become too diverted by the site issue.
“We have to remember that the site is merely a vehicle for the provision of service,” he said. “The decision about the site is just one of many decisions the IMG will have to make.”
Meanwhile, at its last meeting for the year last Monday night, the IMG identified what is required to complete the business case for the integrated facility so that key stakeholders can commit to the idea.
“We must have certainty around the financial viability and sustainability of the integrated service,” said IMG chair John Peters.
To get that certainty, Mr Peters said that the group has to agree on which site is the best, bearing in mind purchase and development costs. It must also agree on the details of the building footprint and layout so as to clarify staffing needs. Organisation, design, and income and funding arrangements also need to be confirmed and the trust deed must be finalised to clarify the management services arrangements.
The IMG will spend the next few weeks “firming up” on these matters.
“We now have a lot of information,” said Mr Peters. “The consultation that occurred at the Open Days, and is still occurring via the website and the forms in The GB Weekly, is being followed up with talks with staff and we’ll hold a workshop in January so staff can thrash out how the building can work.”
Neil Wilson
