ICU beds: Mayor has 'no intention’ of fighting cut

Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich has told councillors he has no problem with the government’s plan to cut a third of intensive care unit beds from the city’s new hospital and has "no intention" of fighting the move.

At yesterday’s council meeting, Mr Radich downplayed concerns from councillors about changes to the new hospital build, saying he was confident planners had "got it covered".

"I have no intention to do anything further at this stage. However, I certainly intend to keep in touch with the situation."

Cr Jim O’Malley had asked if the council planned to take any action after the Otago Daily Times revealed the number of ICU beds in the new Dunedin hospital had been reduced from 30 on opening, to 20.

Mr Radich said he had spoken to people involved with the project who were happy with the situation.

"In the first instance, I’ve asked what the plan is."

He said the council had heard from some who wanted more ICU beds, but not those from "inside the hospital".

The current Dunedin hospital has 16 resourced ICU beds, expected to become 20 when staff roles are filled.

Earlier this week, the ODT reported the new hospital would have 20 ICU beds on opening, with capacity to increase to 40 beds over time - a decision not made public when the government announced a scaled-back hospital build in January.

"There’s a degree of flexibility there - the main thing is that the space for those beds is being constructed," Mr Radich said.

The original plan was for 30 ICU beds on opening and capacity for a further 10 beds.

Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora (HNZ) would be concerned about outfitting 40 beds "of only which less than half are being used", he said.

"I agree with the planners that they’ve got it covered."

Cr O’Malley pressed the matter - "my question is actually: are we going to do anything as an institution, as opposed to whether you feel that that’s going to be adequate or not?".

It sounded to him the mayor’s plan was the council "do nothing", he said.

The matter should be made a "very public discussion" about the promise of delivery from the government, he said.

"And an assessment of whether this partial delivery is, in fact, an actual meeting of the promise or not, because it appears to have been assessed by the mayor as being a meeting of that and we’re not going to move any further forward, Cr O’Malley said.

"I’m a little concerned about that."

Cr Steve Walker said councillors needed to make a decision about a renewed hospital campaign because "bottom line is we’re being lied to".

"The lies are already beginning, and we need to do something about it."

Cr Carmen Houlahan said the council had been united on the issue before and the achievements of the hospital campaign should not be lost.

Mr Radich concluded the discussion, saying a meeting could be arranged to discuss the matter.

ruby.shaw@odt.co.nz