We want the hospital to be built as promised. There has been significant investment in the new hospital already, and not building it as planned creates clinical risks. It means there’ll be workarounds, and people will fall through the gaps.
With 350,000 people in the Otago and Southland region, the Southern Hospital services the largest region of any tertiary hospital in New Zealand. The hospital has an extensive helicopter rescue service that supports people in the regions. It’s also a teaching hospital, training the professionals who go on to serve in the health system throughout New Zealand.
The ambulance was loaned to the campaign for free.
The budget for the campaign is $346,099, of which some remains unspent.
The focus has now shifted to monitoring construction progress, advocating for proper funding, and ensuring the government follows through on its commitments. The community remains involved in pushing for the hospital to be fully resourced and equipped as originally promised.