It’s hard to have this conversation without being an advocate for "our town" (insert your town name here), but instead we need to be think of the whole area as a single unit.
Population statistics now show Queenstown is not much more than 40% of our total 80,000 people now, and that proportion is declining.
We are New Zealand’s region with the worst access to professional health services.
At the same time, the population across our inland city is exploding.
Too many people have to travel when their health situation makes it very difficult.
Helicopters are in frequent use, when if that was reduced by a decent, local service it would be better clinically, and, importantly, fewer friends and relatives left trailing along behind by road.
Size matters, yes — big enough capacity.
But importantly, capability to be able to flex and provide for more complex demands in a hospital which is still part of a national service.
We will still use Dunedin, and at times even Auckland.
Helicopters will still fly, but at a highly reduced rate. The best advice is 100 to 120 beds in Cromwell. Why Cromwell?
Because it’s the centre of where our people live and it’s the centre of the roading network.
And remember, a big thing to solve is the daily grind for family supporting people in hospital — it’s the least travel for the most people.
Nobody in Whakatipu or Wanaka wants to rely on the Crown Range Rd to get to a hospital on the other side.
The Kawarau Gorge is busy and winding but it’s usable, while the Wanaka-Cromwell-Alexandra axis has the most people now, with a good road between them.
Most of our commutes between are 45 minutes or less — better than getting across Auckland.
So what are the population numbers?
According to statistics from both Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago district councils, there’s a total of 80,000 people now across Central Otago-Queenstown Lakes.
Whakatipu is now 43% of that total — Wanaka, Cromwell and Alexandra make up the remaining 57%.
In 2054-55 our overall population will likely grow to a projected 141,135 (probably bigger than Dunedin) — 59,502 (42%) in Whakatipu and 82,233 (58%) in Wanaka and Central Otago.
In just a few years the Wanaka-Cromwell axis alone, without Alexandra, will have more people than the Whakatipu.
But there are no hard boundaries.
Our towns are interdependent for services, including health.
So let’s think of our hospital as being for the region, and more importantly, for all of our people.
It must be needs-driven, and provided accordingly.
The best use and the best outcome for all our people.
