Children’s hospital approved

Press, 2 June 1982, Page 20

Children’s hospital approved

PA Auckland A dozen bottles of champagne bought to celebrate, the approval of the new Auckland Children’s Hospital remain corked in their case. A dejected paediatrics division chairman, Dr Paul White, said the champagne would stay unopened until there was something to celebrate. The Auckland Hospital Board has approved a brief for a $23.5 million 9700 sq m hospital, more than 1000 sq m smaller than the paediatricians wanted. The hospital would come into use in 1987 or 1988. While paediatric staff consoled themselves, the Hospital Board’s chairman, Dr

F. H. Rutter, hailed the deci- / sion as historic. “I feel delighted," he said. £ “The positive side is that we t have taken one further step j 1 to providing Auckland with a g hospital that it can be proud f of. It will be the centre of J excellence.” . Dr White said: “The staff y has a difficult enough task r caring for the sick children $ of Auckland in inadequate & facilities without being £ kicked in the teeth by their r administrators.” g The original hospital brief * was for 250 beds and 22,000 J sq m. In 1979, that was i» reduced to 16,000 sq m and 220 beds. The final brief approved by paediatric staff ii was 212 beds and 11,000 sq g m. . . h