A fortnight ago the Government finally signed off on the long-delayed detailed business case for the $1.47billion project, and a Cabinet paper was released setting out bare details of what services, operating theatres and bed numbers the new facility will have.
That document said the strategic case for the new hospital was based on the poor condition of existing buildings, and that the old hospital would not be able to cope with projected demand.
"For example, inpatients discharges are projected to increase by 28% by 2042-43 and bed days are projected to increase by over 40% due an ageing population with more complex health needs."
Mr Woodhouse, a hospital chief executive before entering politics, said he greatly doubted the new hospital would be able to meet forecast demand with the intended number of beds.
"Technically, it is correct that we will have more beds than we have now, but the idea that we can meet future demand with those bed numbers is pie in the sky," he said.
"If they are building capacity for an enhanced emergency department and they are successful in making sure that only urgent cases got to the ED, why are they not planning for a consequent increase in bed numbers?"
Hospital planners seemed to be expecting that a higher proportion of people presenting at the emergency department would be discharged back into the community than was now the case, Mr Woodhouse said.
"What is the clinical modelling that underpins these beds numbers?
"I don’t think there is any. I think it is financial modelling which is driving these bed numbers."
A Ministry of Health spokeswoman said the modelling for future capacity in the new hospital had taken into account both population growth as well as growth in key services from changes in population demographics.
Hospital planners have always said they expected more services would be provided in the community than now.
"Some services will be able to be delivered in a different and contemporary way," the spokeswoman said.
"For example, the hospital will have a new 23-hour ward which will have 20 beds to support day surgery."
Capacity in an assessment and planning unit had been increased from four to 32 beds, which was expected to provide a better and more efficient service, the spokeswoman said.
The hospital is being built in two stages; an outpatient building planned to open in 2025 and a larger inpatient building scheduled to open in 2028.
The first construction contracts for the two main buildings are expected to be signed soon.
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If National were in power there wouldn't even be a new hospital. It's a bit rich of him to sit back pretty much just blah, blah, blah about it.
Oh, you mean when your labours.party.troughers spent years complaining about the National government of the time, then get into power and fail to deliver then say "oh, it takes time for.these things"
They whole time in opposition they spent complaining, and NONE of the time making their own ideas for those issues.
If you complain, have a better idea instead of just saying "that's wrong, but I dunno how to do it any better"
In 2007, John Key was promising a new hospital within 10 years. After getting elected and 9 years later, National hadn't even started - no business plan, no designs, no land, no provisioning in the budget .... nothing. Four years later, Labour has completed all that and more and the contracts to start building the first phase is about to start.
As for future provisioning, the Labour Govt has ensured there is more than enough room for future builds.
Woodward has no credibility. He spent years trying to remove public services (maybe because his background is the private sector), and has only ever been a National apologist. When has he ever stood up and advocated for Dunedin? Where was he during the neuro fiasco, Hillside, etc etc?
It is that labor were in opposition for nine years, no plans were formulated for when they would finally hold the reins again, indeed they were genuinely surprised when Winston chose them instead of national.
How many beds has Gnational committed to? Oh right, NONE
Well we will never know how far on we would be with the hospital with National as we were daft enough to vote in this shower; all talk and little action.
Actually we do know. 2007. Key promised it within 10 years and after 9 years in govt the hadn't progressed it at all. No business case, no plans, no land, no provisioning in the Budget and so on.
How is this person still in politics??? Are the National party so bereft of talent? Actually, based on the continual resignations due to impropriety, it seems they are.
To think his version of our hospital was going to be a Public-Private partnership.
Privatise the profits, socialise the costs.
And the profits would have been engineered by???? Why, reducing staff and beds of course.
So National has nothing to offer, except something EVEN worse!
This National-Labour bickering is boring. Put Woodhouse to the side and take a deep breath. Facts are facts, the current design is too small, and by the time this hospital is finished it will be time to build a new one. I also think placing it between the one-way streets is a crazy idea!!! That area is already congested. So let's talk ideas, not politics. Where else could the new hospital be built? What improvements would you like to have seen over the current one?