All services now provided at Dunedin Hospital, including tertiary services, should be available in either the rebuilt Dunedin Hospital or in the community, the Southern District Health Board says.
In its newly-released report on the annual review of the SDHB, Parliament’s health select committee said it was pleased the SDHB intended to retain all its current services, including specialties.
Cabinet is considering a recommended site for the new Dunedin Hospital, and a public announcement is expected within weeks.
The cost of keeping the old hospital buildings running includes a $20 million impairment for asbestos contamination.
"The impairment was charged against the DHB’s asset revaluation reserve and therefore did not affect the reported deficit," the report said.
"The DHB said that if its revaluation reserves were exhausted it would seek a different way to account for the impairment. That is, it would increase its operating deficit."
Asbestos issues have hampered the rebuilding of Dunedin Hospital’s intensive care unit and were cited as one of reasons for the withdrawal of accreditation for the hospital’s radiology service.
Planners are already considering what services will be provided in the new hospital, and the group steering the rebuild is working on a detailed business case.
"The DHB is planning for service continuity during the construction years," the report said.
Financial issues continue to dog the SDHB, although the committee noted its financial results had improved. In 2016-17 the SDHB reported a $22 million deficit ($38 million in 2015-16). For 2017-18 it is forecasting a deficit of $17.5 million, after budgeting for a $14 million deficit.
