Some people here might not remember the exact date, but, as far as I am concerned, I will always remember 15 April 2004 as one of the really good days of my six years as Health Minister.

That was the day, of course, that I came to Thames to announce Government’s approval for the $21.9 million redevelopment of Thames Hospital.

It was a day that staff, management and the Thames community had been awaiting for a long time, and it was an announcement that I naturally had much pleasure in making.

It is great to be back here today, therefore, to join another community celebration, this time to mark the start of demolition of the hospital’s old buildings.

Before I speak about that, I want to thank Waikato DHB Jan White for her welcome, and to congratulate her publicly for her recent appointment to head ACC. I am sure you will do a magnificent job, Jan.

I also want to acknowledge the Deputy Mayor of Thames Coromandel District Council, Adrian Catran, and John Tregidga, Mayor of Hauraki Duistrict Council. Both your councils have been very supportive of this development.
Construction of the redeveloped hospital will soon get underway following the demolition.

As many of you know, of course, this first stage of the demolition makes way for construction of the new Inpatient Unit.

Work will start on that unit in just three more months, and it will be ready for use in August 2006, just one year away. And I am sure that year cannot pass quickly enough for many people here today.

The Thames Hospital redevelopment is, as far as I am concerned, one of the most significant parts of Waikato DHB’s $215M Service and Campus Redevelopment Project that was approved last year.
The Inpatient Unit, which has been architecturally designed to blend in with the distinctive villas in the surrounding neighbourhood, will have 54 beds, 18 of them in single-bed rooms, with eight two-bed rooms and five four-bed rooms.

The Unit is, of course, the first of two major stages in the Thames redevelopment.

The second main stage, construction of a new clinical centre, will begin in December 2006 and will encompass three departments --- the emergency department, outpatients, and radiology.

That new centre will be ready for use in December 2007, and will become the main hub of the new hospital.
Refurbishment will also take place in several other areas throughout the hospital.

Most of the front ward block along Mackay Street will be mothballed, except for the third floor that will be refurbished into a new day procedure unit. I understand construction actually began on that unit last month. The central sterilising unit will also be relocated to the third floor, while theatres will be maintained on the fourth floor.

The wider Waikato SCR project is designed to bring about positive changes to the way health services are delivered across the district, both in Thames and in Hamilton.

As these changes are implemented over the next five years, patients will realise three main benefits:

·Fewer procedures will require an overnight stay at hospital.
·Wherever possible, care will be provided in the patient’s community.
·There will be more and better co-ordination and communication between health professionals across the span of a patient’s treatment.

Thames Hospital staff have been working with architects to ensure these service changes bring real benefit to patients in this community.

It always takes time to develop and approve such major projects, but I make no apology for that.

It is absolutely essential to get major projects right before approving them. That is why this Government established the capital planning committee to take the pork barrel out of new hospital projects.

Hospitals must now be planned properly, unlike in the 1990s, to meet the national capital committee’s strict criteria, and when they do that, then, as boards have discovered right round the country, I am very quick to sign off on them.

In fact, to prove that point, we are now in the midst of the largest hospital rebuilding and refurbishing programme ever undertaken in this country, with more than a billion dollars spent or committed so far.

Because of the sheer number of projects, I have had many opportunities to talk about the symbolic importance that bricks and mortar provide for any community. As Thames well understands, bricks and mortar provide reassurance that the health system is there when the community needs it.

Communities from Kaitaia to Southland and many others in between also understand very well, because under this Government smaller communities no longer face constant threats of closure of their hospitals. They can now breathe easily, and I am delighted Thames is one of those communities.

The Waikato and Thames projects were in the planning stage for three years to make sure we got them right.

And that is why it is time to have a modest party, and in 2007, when the main hub is completed, we can all have a party that doesn’t need to be too modest at all.
Before we do have our celebration today, however, I want to thank certain people and groups who have helped along the way so far.

·Firstly, thank you to Jacquie Mitchell, Thames Hospital area manager, and to hospital staff, who have welcomed the redevelopment and have sacrificed many hours of their time to provide architects and health planners with invaluable input. The hospital’s staff have also done a magnificent job continuing to provide quality services in a rundown environment.

·Thank you to Ngati Maru, who originally gifted the land on which the hospital is built and for being a supportive community partner throughout this project.

·Thank you as well to Thames Coromandel District Council, Hauraki District Council and Environment Waikato, who have worked closely with the project team during the planning stages and have been very supportive of the development.

·And, of course, thank you to Ian Wolstencroft, SCR Project Director, for leading a great project team who have remained on budget and on time at each stage throughout the project thus far; and for continuing to provide close team leadership as this project moves forward.

Most of all, however, I want to thank the Thames community, who have been very supportive during the planning process.

I am delighted to be with you on this special day. Let the demolition begin, and let the new hospital soon take shape so that Thames has the modern and efficient hospital services it has deserved for so long.