New Hospital For Hawkes Bay Opened

Health Minister Wyatt Creech today opened the new hospital for the Hawkes Bay region - welcoming it as a major step forward for the region and the country.

"The Hawkes Bay Regional Hospital is a first class facility . Locals can look forward to the provision of hospital services in the new modern environment - backed up by services at health centres in Napier, Wairoa and Waipukurau.

"The official opening of the hospital marks the end of a period of uncertainty and change for the region.

"The Hawkes Bay now has one of the most up to date hospitals in the country. I hope everyone can move forward and focus on delivering really good services and care for those needing it," Mr Creech said.

The decision to build the regional hospital in Hastings was made in August 1994.

"The new hospital is the solution to the old set up where the region had two secondary hospitals very close to each other but did not have the population to safely sustain a range of general hospital services at both Napier and Hastings."

Mr Creech congratulated the hospital management and staff on the way the transition to the new hospital had been managed.