More shaky hospitals: Wellington emergency department deemed earthquake risk

The Hutt Hospital’s Heretaunga building is the newest of several medical facilities across the country that are considered to be at risk of earthquakes.

Wellington Hospital has to move its emergency department because its structure could fail in the event of an earthquake, and Hook Bay Hospital cannot install its new MRI scanner.

It is the latest shaky hospital dealing with earthquake hazards.

After RNZ inquired about its 2020 capital and coast risk assessment, DHB confirmed it had to relocate the ED – the assessment says Wellington’s emergency department has “potential areas for building structure and service failure risk in the event of a major earthquake”.

Read more: *Hutt’s hospital reinforcement was rejected a decade ago before the building became vulnerable to earthquakes.

Hawke’s Bay Hospital told RNZ it couldn’t fit the new MRI scanner because there wasn’t enough space under the building for the steelwork needed to strengthen it seismically.

These dashes hope to be used early next year to speed up diagnosis.

In addition, two other buildings at Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland were recently found to be earthquake-prone, or less than 34 percent under the new building standard.

This is the Colvin Building with some suites and rehabilitation rooms, and the West Campus building with some clinical services.

Hutt Hospital is also struggling with how and how quickly to deal with the main wing building, which is newly classified as earthquake-prone.

Taranaki, Hook’s Bay and Canterbury are also caught up in seismic conflicts, among other things.

Asked if it was aware of any other DHB offices facing potential or inevitable disruption due to seismic weakness, Health New Zealand did not mention.

A request is being processed to Health NZ for an update on the number of critical hospital buildings (IL3 and IL4) vulnerable to earthquakes, as an OIA that will take weeks to respond to; In 2020, the number nationwide was 52.

Rosa Woods/Staff

The Heretaunga building at Hutt Hospital must be closed as it is considered earthquake prone.

Health New Zealand takes over from DHBs, and assumes its seismic responsibilities, in July.

Health Minister Andrew Little said New Zealand Health will set up an infrastructure unit with an external advisory group. “I am confident that all relevant expertise will be available to her,” Little said.

Renovating or demolishing and rebuilding hospital buildings is very complicated by the need to continue treating patients.

Yesterday’s budget allocated $1.3 billion for capital projects at hospitals, focused on Nelson and Helmorton in Canterbury and the largest tranche, $572 million for Whangarei Hospital.

The Australian College of Emergency Medicine issued a warning: “ACEM members report that much of New Zealand’s infrastructure is outdated and, at times, dangerous.

“However, the college cautions that a simultaneous focus on the workforce is required to employ any updated or existing hospital systems.”

Capital and Coast DHB minimized the need for ED change.

“Changing services is not uncommon as we look to get the most out of our spaces,” she said. The employees knew about the transformation.

Rosa Woods/Staff

Capital & Coast DHB played down the need to change the emergency department, saying it was not uncommon for services to change.

She considered whether the ED would be fixed, but decided to move inside the main Wellington Regional Hospital building. He did not provide a timetable or budget.

What will be done with the remaining large area is not clear, given that only 34 percent of NBS, on the border between earthquake-prone and earthquake-risk.

The problem with a Level 4 Criticality Building (IL4) such as an emergency building is that it must be operational immediately after an earthquake or other disaster. DHB said it “is therefore rated at a much higher standard than the other buildings”.

The regional hospital, which opened 13 years ago at a cost of $350 million, was said to be “designed to withstand major earthquakes.”

RNZ

There was a shocking announcement that the main building of Hutt Hospital was an earthquake hazard and should be closed.

Taranaki DHB has some of the lowest-rated clinical service buildings, at just 10 percent of NBS, with a total of four medical buildings, one office building and three underground tunnels classified as earthquake-prone, according to RNZ.

“Our responsibility has been to address the issue within 12-and-a-half years, and we’re well ahead of that time frame,” said Jill Campbell, Taranaki DHB’s acting CEO.

A new large clinical building was to be constructed by 2025, and a new kidney unit and energy center soon.

Hook Bay Hospital said it is getting a fresh look at where to place the new MRI, and it should be done by the end of July.

Google Maps

Hawke’s Bay Hospital is unable to install a new MRI scanner because it will leave insufficient space for the steelwork needed to strengthen earthquakes.

His seismic ratings make the reading grim. Sharp utility buildings have been reinforced including radiology.

But like other DHBs, it is stuck in the complexity of looming changes in the national seismic hazard model, with a revised model later this year.

The city of Christchurch, such as Wellington and Hawkes Bay which are at high seismic risk, is repairing two major buildings used by patients, Parkside and Riverside. These panels contain earthquake-prone outer panels.

In low-risk Auckland, Middlemore now has six earthquake-prone buildings.

The multi-storey Galbraith, with just 20 percent of NBS, features childbirth, maternity, women’s health and oncology among others.

County Manukau DHB told RNZ the plan now is to demolish it by 2035.

The headache of deciding what to do and when, was confirmed by the Hutt Valley DHB on the dark Heretaunga block.

“The decision was significant and complex, and required balancing a range of factors – such as engineering advice, health and safety duties at Hutt Valley DHB,” she said.

“It also took into account NBD’s broader responsibilities as an employer, owner, healthcare provider and public entity.

“The Board considered the direct impact on medical service delivery, socio-economic impacts, seismic risk mitigation opportunities, health and safety, societal impacts, and operational and strategic feasibility—including availability of alternative sites and service delivery.”

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