Waitākere Hospital staff are concerned that a new 30-bed ward promised five years ago will only initially deliver a fraction of that number.
In 2021, the then-Labour-led government announced a $40 million, 30-bed ward at Waitākere Hospital, to allow more West Aucklanders to be treated closer to home.
Registered nurse Neil Warrington said he felt “very let down” to discover in recent weeks that there would only be an immediate increase of 11 beds.
“We were promised 30 beds, we need 30 beds, it should be 30 beds,” he said.
“There is now the possibility or probability that we will have patients being nursed in corridors.”
Health Minister Simeon Brown says a staged approach has always been the plan. “That was always the plan approved by the previous government... to stage that over time with an initial uplift and then for further beds to come online over time."
Health New Zealand group director operations Waitākere Brad Healey said 38 staff were being recruited to support the initial expansion of 11 beds, and there would be capacity to bring a further 19 beds into service over time, as demand required.
“Staff have been regularly updated on the phased expansion of bed capacity at Waitākere Hospital,” Healy said.
However, Te Atatū MP Phil Twyford said West Aucklanders would only getting a fraction of what was promised.
“The hospital is under major stress because of lack of beds and lack of nursing staff.
“People are left to sleep in corridors routinely because there aren't enough beds, simply because the Government won't allow the hospital to invest in the nursing staff that it desperately needs.”
The Health Minister said any concerns about how the process has been communicated with staff should be put to the previous government.
Asked why there wasn’t already provision for the additional 19 beds, he Brown pointed out Waitākere was one of the best performing hospitals in the country.
"If you look at the most recent quarterly data for their ED target, 84% of people were seen within six hours."
West Auckland resident Corrine Meaola said she has visited Waitākere Hospital’s emergency department at least 10 times this year, and described it as overcrowded and understaffed.
"The shortest time could be six hours and the longest time can be 11 to 12 hours in the waiting room."
She said she had seen this worsen over time.
“I've had to learn the hard way that if I don't exaggerate my symptoms, if I don't exaggerate that all my cough is actually serious then what they think it is, then I'm not going to be seen again that time.”
Brown said a range of investment had been made at Waitākere Hospital, with an infusion centre opening earlier this year and construction underway for a new birthing unit.
He said the new ward at Waitākere Hospital would open before the end of the year, and the commitment to an overall increase of 30 beds remained.
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