TIMARU HOSPITAL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20607, 22 December 1936, Page 8

TIMARU HOSPITAL

NEW SURGICAL BLOCK BOARD ACCEPTS TENDER The largest tender for a building ever let in Timaru or South Canterbury, that for the new surgical block at the Timaru Public Hospital was accepted by the South Canterbury Hospital Board yesterday afternoon. The successful tenderer was Mr A. Kennledy, whose price for the work was £35.990. There was a difference of £9899 between the highest and lowest tenderer. In all, eight tenders were received. Mr Kennedy was also the successful tenderer for the demolition and removal of the old administration block and ward 2, his price being £320. For this work there were three tenders. There are still some financial formalities to be completed before the Board can authorise a commencement of the contract, but it is hoped that the necessary Order-in-Council which the Board is awaiting, will be gazetted shortly. The latest estimate for the whole of the work was £45,000. The cost of the work, Including engineering services, tenders for which have yet to be called, architects’ fees and the employment of a clerk of works will be epproxlmately £44,500, so that the total cost is within £5OO of the estimate of the architects, Messrs Turnbull and Rule. It is estimated that the work will take 20 months to complete. Tire Board is now completing plans for a kitchen block and a power house, which will be separate jobs, and it is hoped that a start will be made with the power house within six months. The Board has loan authority for the full building programme, but the kitchen and power house are subject to approval by the Health Department and the Public Works Department. Surgical Block The new surgical ward block will be three storeys in reinforced concrete faced with brick to match the existing buildings. The roof of this block will be flat. On the ground floor opening off the main arterial corridor, will be the men's surgical ward comprising a 16-bed ward divided by glazed screens into four four-bed wards. This is in keeping with the latest improvement in hospital planning. In addition to these wards there will be two-bed wards and four single wards, making a total of 26 beds. On the northern side there will be a sun room, and sitting and smoking rooms, kitchenette, sisters’ room, duty room, sink room, nurses' changing room and linen room. On the opposite side of the main corridor will be situated a special lift tower, containing a modem bed lift. Stairs will also connect with the upper floors. Adjoining will be a laboratory, X-ray block, comprising large X-ray room complete with therapy, transformer and dark rooms. Provision has also been made for waiting and dressing rooms and chemical and pathological laboratories. The First Floor The first floor will be devoted to the women’s surg'cal wards, which will be the same in design as the men’s wards. On this floor also will be located .the operating theatre department, which has been planned in the most modern manner, comprising two full-sized operating theatres, sterilising and anaesthetising rooms, scrub-up instrument and dressing rooms, doctors’ and nurses’ rooms, and changing rooms adjacent. Provision has also been made for plaster, blanket, trolley and store rooms.

The maternity department will be located on the second floor, and this will be a 16-bed ward, divided into four four-bed wards, a two-bed ward and four single-bed wards, while in addition there will be two ante-natal wards. The necessary kitchen, duty and other rooms will also be provided. There will be a large nursery with large sun room glazed with vita glass. On each floor there will be a dirty clothes room, complete with three chutes, one for rubbish and two for soiled linen. These chutes will rim the full height of the building to the ground floor, where the clothes will be handled and taken direct to the laundry. Unospicuous Tower The lift tower will be continued to a height of about 66 feet, and wil’ be a land-mark. The lift is taken up to the level of the flat roof, so that patients can be taken out on to the roof for sun treatment. Under the ward portion of the building will re spacious basements, Including men's and women’s clothes stores and large storage rooms, six in all, for hospital supplies. There will also be a nurses’ lecture room and demonstration room.