| Whakatāne Hospital | |
| Org/Group: | Bay of Plenty District Health Board |
| Region: | Bay of Plenty |
| Country: | New Zealand |
| Coordinates: | -37.9647°N 176.9775°W |
| Funding: | Government (District Health Board) |
| Type: | General |
| Emergency: | Yes |
| Beds: | 96 |
| Website: | Whakatāne Hospital |
Whakatāne Hospital is a hospital in New Zealand, serving the town of Whakatāne, and the Eastern Bay of Plenty. It is operated and managed by the Bay of Plenty District Health Board.
Plans for a purpose-built hospital for the Whakatāne District on Stewart Street were drawn up in 1919 and 1920, and construction of the Whakatane District Hospital started in 1921.[1] The Anglican Māori Mission Hospital on Bridge Street served as a temporary hospital until the district hospital was opened on 13 September 1923. The original complex included wards for men, women and children, an operating theatre, a pharmacy, and an X-ray facility. A laboratory and facilities for ear, nose & throat specialists were opened in 1927. Subsequent buildings included the Dawson Block (opened 1963) and the five-storey Godfrey Santon Block (opened 1974), the latter housing the Emergency Department.
A $64 million redevelopment of the Whakatāne Hospital complex is currently underway. The project includes refurbishment of some of the existing buildings and the construction of a new hospital building.[2] Planned works include the relocation of the helipad, refurbishing the current Outpatient Department facility, the relocation of the Mental Health Unit, the construction of a Maori Health Unit, the relocation of the conference centre and the demolition of several buildings. The new building will house the Emergency Department (15 cubicles, 2 resuscitation bays), In-patient beds (69 medical and surgical, 10 paediatric), an Acute Patients Unit, Coronary Care Unit, High Dependency Unit, Radiology Theatres and Treatment and Rehabilitation Assessment (9 beds, 2 operating rooms, 1 procedure room). The project also has plans for a central courtyard with gardens, a cafe and a children's playground.
The hospital includes the following facilities, and departments:[3]
The hospital also has a helipad .[4]
The hospital provides medical, surgical, paediatrics, obstetrics, gynaecology and mental health services. The hospital is home to a range of associated clinical support services and allied health as well, including rehabilitation, speech therapy, physiotherapy, stroke and cardiac support, district nursing and drug and alcohol programmes.