Upcoming construction activity for Hawke’s Bay Hospital’s Surgical Services expansion

22 Dec 2020, 12:57

Hawke’s Bay District Health Board is gearing up to start stage one of construction for its surgical services expansion early next month.

The upgrade, which is being undertaken in nine stages and is scheduled to finish in the first half of 2023, will boost the number of operating theatres to eight and increase the amount of public surgery the DHB can undertake each year.

Chief operating officer Chris Ash says stage one of project will take six months.

‘Stage one involves seismic strengthening of the theatre area and building a link bridge between the top floor of Ruakopito – the hospitals gastroentology and endoscopy services building – and the theatre block where staff facilities, such as the change rooms and meeting rooms are located.

“Temporary walls will start to go up around the main reception area and there will be scaffolding near the main entrance,” says Mr Ash. 

Mr Ash says people in the area are also likely to hear noise, but the team is working to minimise this and keep staff and patients informed of any disruption that may affect them.

Next month contractor Hawkins will be undertaking the following activities that you may see or hear if you’re at Hawke’s Bay hospital: 

• From Tuesday 5 January – Temporary walls will start to go up within the Surgical Services area, and the corridor between main reception and Zacs Café will be blocked off for contractor access. Access to Zacs will be through the villa courtyard from this day.
  
  
• From Monday 11 January – Excavation works in the basement will begin. This involves using a sucker truck (like a giant vacuum cleaner) near the main entrance to suck excavated material out of the basement. It will create some noise from 7pm–4am, which may be heard in the tower block.
  
  
• From Tuesday 15 January – Scaffolding will be erected over Ruakopito and the surgical block so Hawkins are able to start work on the link bridge that will join these two buildings.
  
  
• From Monday 25 January – Scabbling (jack hammering) and drilling work will begin in the basement for seismic strengthening. This work is expected to happen between 5am and 3pm.

The timetable above is subject to change. Signage will be in place to support changes.

Pictured: An artist’s impression of the link bridge (top); and the basement where seismic strengthening starts next month.