Board seeks to extend $25M hospital plan

Press, 15 April 1980, Page 39

Board seeks to extend $25M hospital plan

The limited life span of two of the remaining old wards at the Christchurch Hospital, Wards 12 and 13, was cited yesterday at the main reason for plans to extend the $25 million, stage three redevelopment of the hospital. Another reason given for extending the proposed building by an extra floor was the selection recently of Christchurch Hospital as the regional centre for neurosurgery. The proposal to extend the previous plan has the unani-' mous approval of the Medi- . cal Development Committee : of the North Canterbury : Hospital Board. Under the new proposal nine floors would be provided in the new building. It will allow for the integrated planning of all medical and

surgical services, including the neurosurgical and neurology departments. Under the new scheme the present Wards 12 and and 13 would be demolished as well as the old Chalmers block, built in 1917. The medical superintendent of the- Christchurch Hospital (Dr D. A. Andrews) told a meeting of the board’s works committee yesterday that the limited life span of Wards 12 and 13 made it imperative that plans were now acceted to replace them. lanning arovalffffiSHlppppca If planning approval was given by the Health Deartment within six months the new building could be ready for occupation by 1986-87. It will house all parts of Christchurch Hospital now designated as “old buildings,” including the operating theatres.