1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,160 Speaker 1: Is the government spending one hundred million of cash from 2 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: the budget on upgrading hospitals across the country. Twenty one 3 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: projects will get funding for things like car parks, new 4 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: transit lounges, edy upgrades and labs. Simeon Brown is the 5 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: Health Minister, and he joins me, now, good morning. 6 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 2: Good morning, how are you good? 7 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,239 Speaker 1: Thank you? Now these new projects tell me when are 8 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: they going to be delivered by? 9 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 2: So the twenty one new projects will be delivered There 10 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:24,800 Speaker 2: is a start as soon as possible. They'll be delivered 11 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 2: over most in twenty twenty six and some of them 12 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 2: going into twenty twenty seven. And ultimately this is about 13 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 2: looking at how we can use our current facilities, make 14 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 2: them more efficient, deliver more care for patients and also 15 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 2: provide a number of construction jobs up and down the 16 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 2: country while they're underway. 17 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:43,879 Speaker 1: Twenty one projects, as you say, across the country, it's 18 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: quite a lot. Is one hundred million enough? 19 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:50,479 Speaker 2: These are mostly small scale projects, the largest as the 20 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 2: new infusion clinic at Menecow Health Park. And ultimately that 21 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 2: making sure we use the space that we've got more 22 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 2: efficiently and effectively. We all need to deliver more into 23 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 2: our health infrastructure we delivered as part of our budget, 24 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 2: also a major investment in Nelson Hospital, major rebuild of 25 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 2: Nowson Hospital. Last friday, I signed the Healthy zeal and 26 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 2: signed the new to need In Hospital main construction contract. 27 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:17,679 Speaker 2: So it's great to get that construction contract underway. So 28 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 2: we have to also be delivering these major rebuilds, but 29 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:22,399 Speaker 2: we also have to make sure we are delivering for 30 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 2: those frontline clinicians in these hospitals so that they're able 31 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 2: to be able to deliver that care for patients that 32 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 2: they wish to and they need to. 33 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's sensible and it's good to see that you're 34 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 1: utilizing existing facilities, but is this a bit of a 35 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: band aid solution? Are we doing just enough to keep 36 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 1: these hospitals? 37 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 2: We have to do. We have to do it the 38 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 2: major rebuilds, but we also need to make sure that 39 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 2: the current clinical space that we've got for our clinicians 40 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 2: and our patients is up to scratch and is able 41 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 2: to be used as efficiently and effectively as possible. So, 42 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 2: for example, one of the one of the projects at 43 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 2: Fungray Hospital is actually putting an integrated operations center in place. Currently, 44 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 2: the operations center is spread across the hospit all bringing 45 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 2: it together into one place means that that hospital can 46 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 2: be operated more efficiently and effectively, So that's a good 47 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:08,920 Speaker 2: thing for the staff there and it's going to make 48 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 2: a huge difference for patients as well. So yes, we 49 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 2: have to do the major rebuilds, we also have to 50 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:15,959 Speaker 2: make sure we're using what we've currently got as efficiently 51 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:18,399 Speaker 2: and effectively as possible to deliver patients. 52 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:21,079 Speaker 1: And have these hospitals been able to decide what their 53 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:22,920 Speaker 1: priorities are where they need something to go. 54 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:26,359 Speaker 2: Yes, it's been that the projects have come through from 55 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 2: the local hospital leadership up to as reallocated the money 56 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 2: in the budget. There's been a process to hout to 57 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 2: identify what those projects are and then we've been able 58 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 2: to sign that off as ministers and now get onward delivering, 59 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 2: which is the key priority from now. 60 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: So will there be more money allocated for further upgrades 61 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:46,799 Speaker 1: in next year's budget, you know, because unfortunately maintenance and 62 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:48,639 Speaker 1: upgrades just keeps coming on. 63 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:51,839 Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, look, we can't obviously talk about next year's 64 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 2: budget will be yet. We're still we're just starting those processes. 65 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:57,360 Speaker 2: But there's a lot of work underway at Health New 66 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:02,080 Speaker 2: Zealand looking at business cases for future hospital upgrades. We 67 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 2: announced the Health Infrastructure Planned earlier in this year, I 68 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,239 Speaker 2: think was in April, which looked at the ten year 69 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 2: view of what's needed to be delivered for health infrastructure 70 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 2: across the country. A lot of major hospital rebuilds. The 71 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:19,239 Speaker 2: next three big priorities a total hospital, Hawkes Bay Hospital 72 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 2: and Palmerston North Hospitals. So a lot of work going 73 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 2: into the planning for major hospital rebuilds. But as I said, 74 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 2: we also need to make sure we're using what we've 75 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 2: currently got as efficiently and effectively as possible, so that 76 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 2: patients and clinicians have modern, reliable infrastructure and get that 77 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 2: care and a time and quality manner. 78 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, Minister. That was Health Minister Simeon Brown. 79 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 2: For more from early edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live 80 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 2: to News Talks'd Be from five am weekdays, or follow 81 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.