Demand for hospital cot space grows as Middlemore delays neonatal unit

By REBECCA WALSH health reporter

Delays in building a new neonatal unit at Middlemore Hospital will increase the pressure on hospitals in the region to match the number of cots with sick and premature babies.

The 30-bed unit was initially expected to be operating by the end of the year but building work has not yet started.

The general manager of Kidz First and women's health at Middlemore, Nettie Knetsch, said the work had to be phased in with a number of developments at the hospital, including refurbishments to the radiology department and the National Burns Centre.

It was hoped that work on the unit, which has been variously described as the most cramped in Australasia and a significant fire risk, would begin mid-year and be completed by mid-2005.

Ms Knetsch said the issue would become "more complex" in June when the unit at National Women's Hospital moved into the new Auckland City Hospital and the number of cots would drop from 59 to 46.

But when the new unit at Middlemore and a special baby care unit at Waitakere, due to open in February next year, were operational the total number of cots in the region would rise from 81 to 100.

Last month, the Herald reported that up to 60 mothers and their sick or premature newborns might have to be transferred out of Auckland while health services were rearranged.

Ms Knetsch said in the past six months the Middlemore unit had been "fortunate" in not having to move any babies to other hospitals. Three mothers had been moved to different hospitals before their babies were born.

"We have a poky, tiny unit. It fits around 20 to 21 babies. That's incredibly small and it's not meeting standards of contemporary neonatal care."

But despite its size it was providing excellent clinical services.

Counties Manukau District Health Board chief executive Stephen McKernan said that six to seven months ago the anticipated opening date had been pushed out until May next year.

That was attributed in part to changes in where facilities were sited within the hospital.

Ms Knetsch said the new unit, which will cost about $4.4 million, would be roomier.

It was also planned to develop a family centre where people could stay overnight.