Last week the Otago Daily Times reported Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand (HNZ) Southern executive director of corporate services Nigel Trainor informed the Health Select Committee construction costs for the proposed primary birthing unit in Clyde had come in "significantly higher" than anticipated.
The 550sq m unit was one of two primary birthing units announced for the Central Lakes area in November 2020 after more than a year of public outcry from midwives and mothers concerned about the standard of maternity services.
Mr Trainor said the health body was looking at a plan B and "potentially doing a similar thing to what [it] did in Wānaka".
In July last year HNZ Southern bought a property for the Wānaka primary birthing unit, with renovations under way.
HNZ Southern director of midwifery Karen Ferraccioli said she was unable to comment further on the Clyde unit as a procurement process for a construction partner was under way, and the health body would not make any decisions until all information was thoroughly reviewed.
However, HNZ was "committed" to establishing the Primary Birthing Units in Central Otago, Ms Ferraccioli said.
The increase in construction costs since the initial planning phase of the Clyde facility meant the proposed building plans may need to be looked at to see if "efficiencies can be found in the design".
"We want to emphasise that the continuous endeavours to create a community-centred space for birth and early years’ service delivery are critical to establishing sustainable, high-quality care closer to home. "This mission remains at the forefront of any planning undertaken," Ms Ferraccioli said.
"We will continue to carefully evaluate all aspects of the project to ensure that we can deliver the best possible outcomes for the community. Should any developments arise that require us to revisit the current construction plan, we will be sure to communicate them clearly and transparently."
