The Bay of Plenty District Health Board is the latest organisation to be plagued with earthquake issues with Tauranga Hospital having four affected buildings.
Tauranga Hospital's theatre block and kitchen are earthquake prone. Photo:
They include the theatre block, kitchen and site-wide building services, offices and support services, the main ward and clinical services block.
Bay of Plenty District Health Board (BOPDHB) chief executive Pete Chandler told Local Democracy Reporting they had received expert engineering advice that the risk to people was low.
"In common with many other DHBs around the country the BOPDHB also needs to do further seismic upgrading at Tauranga Hospital to achieve the latest standards," he said.
"The safety of our staff and patients is our priority, as is maintaining our hospital's clinical and acute services."
He said any risks associated with the earthquake prone buildings were being proactively monitored and managed.
"If a building is found to be earthquake-prone, this doesn't mean it shouldn't be occupied," Chandler said.
One area of Tauranga Hospital where seismic assessments identified a life safety risk was the kitchen - which was subject to strengthening works last year to address the issue.
Chandler said the DHB either has to upgrade over time or build a new clinical services block and vacate the earthquake prone buildings.
Peter Chandler says any earthquake risks at Tauranga Hospital are being proactively monitored and managed. Photo: LDR / Supplied
Repair work needed in the main ward and theatre block was strengthening primary structures, floors and foundations, which would require the building to be vacated.
The organisation has 12 years to complete upgrades and strengthening work.
A new clinical service block would bring the hospital up to latest standards and address accommodation pressures for the longer term, Chandler said.
"Building a new clinical services block is a much better option than working out how we would decant our wards into offsite accommodation for two to three years of building works."
He said the DHB was discussing a business case for a new clinical services block with the Ministry of Health.
"As we've said before, the business case will also consider a greenfield build option if suitable land is available."
Tauranga is a medium risk zone for earthquakes compared to other parts of the country such as Wellington, which is categorised as a high-risk zone.
Other DHBs with seismic issues include Hutt Hospital which vacated the Heretaunga Ward block last month.
Taranaki Base Hospital, Capital and Coast District Health Board and West Coast's Grey Hospital all have earthquake prone buildings as well.
Bay of Plenty DHB's Whakatāne Hospital is not an earthquake-prone building due to it being completed in 2015. It was 100 percent code compliant at the time of construction and would still score in excess of 80 percent compliance against new criteria that came into effect in 2017.
Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
