The new operating theatre at Christchurch's Forté Hospital will see 1800 more surgeries take place at the hospital each year. Photo: Google Maps
A new operating theatre at Christchurch's Forté Hospital will increase surgical capacity, as the health sector struggles to meet increasing demand.
Forté Health chief executive Michael Woodhouse said construction of the new theatre was underway on the first floor of the private hospital, alongside its four other theatres.
It will enable up to 1800 more surgeries to take place at the hospital each year and is due to open next January.
Forté Health chief executive Michael Woodhouse. Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP
Woodhouse took over the helm of Forté Health in April after 15 years as a National MP. He previously served as the chief executive at Mercy Hospital in Dunedin.
Forté Hospital - located in central Christchurch - caters for private surgeries and works in partnership with Health NZ, offering surgical space to the public system.
Woodhouse said demand was outstripping supply at Forté and its current operating theatres had been running at capacity for about five years, with more space desperately needed.
"Our health system is finding it increasingly difficult to manage the surgical needs of our community. At the same time, we are facing an ageing and growing population here in the South Island. Our health system needs more investment and Forté's expansion is a significant step towards that.
The Forté Health building housed several tenants and Oxford Women's Health had provided space for the additional theatre to be built.
They were mostly used by orthopaedic, gynaecology, ear nose and throat (ENT) and urology specialists, but Woodhouse said it was hoped with more theatre space, it would be able to expand the number and range of surgeons that could work out of the hospital.
"This is a bold move and a significant investment into the health of our community. It will result in more Cantabrians getting the services and care they desperately need.
"The future of our healthcare sector is reliant on investment across numerous layers, including the private sector. The new operating theatre at Forté Hospital will increase the opportunities for the public health system to access theatre capacity."
The Forté Health precinct in central Christchurch was built in 2013, the brainchild of several medical specialists who saw the need for a sustainable, patient-centred approach to medical care in post-quake Christchurch.
In 2017, a second building opened next to the hospital to house specialist consulting rooms and health related services and recently a third building opened on the corner of Kilmore Street and Colombo Street, offering clinical and office spaces for medical specialists.
Woodhouse said it had continued plans for expansion over the coming years.
"We are currently working on plans for additional investment into Canterbury's health sector to better support our growing population and increasing complexity of healthcare needs."
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