South Auckland's $35m first private hospital ready to start work

South Auckland's first private hospital will be opened tomorrow by Prime Minister John Key.

The $35 million Ormiston Hospital will perform general surgery, endoscopy, plastics, gynaecology, urology, oral and eye surgery, and ear, nose and throat surgery.

It has 32 in-patient beds, six operating theatres, an endoscopy suite and a sterilisation unit.

Hospital chief executive Clare McArthur and surgeon John Edwards started planning the hospital in March 2006.

"We are very excited. John Edwards and I are the founding directors and have been living with the project for three years," she said.

Mrs McArthur said medical staff were tired of having to travel into the city for work.

"It's an area of growth and future growth. It will be a big asset."

Hospital chairman David Clarke said there were several reasons for opening the hospital.

"It is the only private hospital between Greenlane and Hamilton."

He had heard of people travelling into the central city for hospitals missing appointments, mainly because of heavy traffic.

Three theatres are open and all six will be operational by the end of next year. The hospital has started with small, day surgery and will not have overnight patients until August. There are 63 shareholders, the majority with medical backgrounds.

Mr Clarke said Ormiston was in the process of setting up a trust to sponsor free surgery.