A new mental health unit for the West Coast is back on track after getting the nod from the government's capital investment committee.
A new mental health unit would replace the one in the last remaining block of the old Grey Base Hospital. Photo: Supplied / Google Maps
Funding of $15 million was approved in principle for a new facility to replace the present Manaakitanga unit, located in the last remaining block of the old Grey Base Hospital.
The capital investment committee rejected the West Coast District Health Board's initial business case, after conflicting expert opinions on whether the old building was an earthquake risk, and whether it could be renovated rather than replaced.
Rick Barker Photo: NZ Parliament
DHB chairman Rick Barker told the board meeting on Friday the various issues had now been resolved.
"This time we worked with Ministry of Health officials … and I am pleased to advise the board that the capital investment committee has approved our business case."
Barker said the funding approved in principle was about $19 million.
"This is the biggest and most difficult hurdle to get over - the approval of the capital - and we can look forward with some confidence that our mental health unit will be under way again shortly."
They still had hoops to jump through before final approval but those were processes rather than significant barriers, Barker said.
"This is a significant step for the West Coast. We now have a new hospital in Te Nikau; we have a new health centre being constructed in Buller; we have an upgraded health clinic at Haast and now we are going to have a new mental health unit.
"I don't think anybody could say this government hasn't done its bit for the Coast," Barker, a former Labour MP and government appointee said.
"We will have almost a complete rebuild of our health facilities that will stand us in good stead for decades to come."
A 2019 Ministry of Health survey found the present mental health unit, housed in the former maternity wing of the old hospital, was the worst of its kind in the country and posed safety risks for patients and staff.
DHB member and former psychiatric nurse Peter Neame criticised the DHB's first plan for the new inpatient unit, saying it would reduce the number of beds from nine currently to six.
At Friday's meeting Barker did not have further details of the new plan such as the location and bed numbers but said more information would be available soon.
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