Anna Lorck: Hawke's Bay DHB staff deserve the credit for hospital upgrade approvals

Tukituki Labour candidate Anna Lorck believes DHB believes in giving credit where credit is due. Photo / Warren Buckland

Tukituki Labour candidate Anna Lorck says full credit for securing the approval and funding for upgrades to Hawke's Bay Hospital's radiology and surgical departments should go to district health board staff.

Former Health Minister David Clark, who resigned on Thursday, and Finance Minister Grant Robertson this week approved $10 million towards an upgrade at Hawke's Bay Hospital's radiology department.

Just days earlier National's Tukituki MP Lawrence Yule claimed Clark's "bumbling" as a minister had stalled progress.

Clark also approved $4.2m towards a $20.8m investment to refurbish and expand Hawke's Bay Hospital's operating theatres to allow more surgeries.

On Wednesday, Yule said the "scramble" to provide the money was probably because he "stumbled across a mistake".

However, DHB board member Lorck said the full credit in getting the "greatest level" of capital investment for Hawke's Bay's hospital in more than a decade must go to the team who did the work first and foremost.

"Make no mistake about it, the Hawke's Bay DHB staff, who spent thousands of hours getting major capital works ready for ministerial sign-off this week, are the people who got the job done," Lorck said.

Major health infrastructure projects that are jointly funded by the health board and Government require extensive project planning and financial analysis, business cases and board approval, she said.

"Then through the capital investment committee, and a competitive contract tendering process, they need to finally get to ministry prioritisation, budget allocation and sign-off by the ministers."

Lorck said she would not comment on Yule's statement.

"What I will do is ensure credit is given where credit is due.

"I take my role very seriously in supporting the team and advocating for health services for our region."