Southern Cross Central Lakes Hospital opens in Queenstown

Southern Cross Central Lakes Hospital's first operating theatre set to open in January. Photo / Cass Marrett

Just 18 months after the first sod was turned, Queenstown's new hospital is almost ready for its first patient.

The Southern Cross Central Lakes Hospital was officially opened at a ceremony last night.

At the opening, held on site at Kawarau Park, Lake Hayes Estate, a special pounamu was blessed by Ngai Tahu and, after speeches, Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult unveiled a commemorative plaque.

The hospital was a joint venture between the Central Lakes Trust and Southern Cross Healthcare to offer better access to elective surgeries in Queenstown alongside services the Lakes District Hospital already offers, such as A&E.

"Folk in our area have had to put up with the requirement to travel to either Dunedin or Invercargill for many years for day surgery or tests and our new facility will negate a need for that," Boult said.

It will be run by Southern Cross Healthcare with Central Lakes Trust as an investment partner and features three operating theatres and 13 inpatient rooms each with their own en suites.

"Staff will spend the next few weeks ... ensuring everything is in place and working, ready to begin operations in January 2022 by which time the hospital will employ around 35 people with more starting in March when the hospital starts admitting inpatients," Southern Cross Healthcare chief executive Chris White said.

The new Southern Cross Central Lakes Hospital in Queenstown was offically opened last night, realising the vision of Arrowtown consultant Andrew Blair. Photo / Cass Marrett

Initially, the hospital will open one operating theatre for low-complexity day surgeries, bring a second theatre on stream in March and over time, planned to introduce a schedule of specialist surgery including orthopaedics, ophthalmology, urology, gynaecology, plastic and general surgery.

The Southern District Health Board has contracted the hospital to undertake several elective surgical procedures and the hospital will also be funded by ACC to provide surgery for qualifying injured patients.

"It was important for CLT that this hospital was accessible not only to those with health insurance, but also ACC patients, DHB patients— in fact, the whole community," Central Lakes Trust chief executive Susan Finlay said.

It was Arrowtown consultant Andrew Blair who brought Central Lakes Trust and Southern Cross Healthcare together, after identifying a need for another hospital.

"I felt like a marriage broker," he said.

"Central Lakes Trust brings that community spirit to the table, Southern Cross brings the hospital operational stuff ... unlike some marriages this is one that I'm sure will endure for a long, long time."

The building's foundation work began in April last year and despite Covid delays, was handed over on deadline, to budget, at an estimated final cost of about $24 million.

"I had a moment about two or three weeks ago when it was handed over to us — it was actually quite emotional — I was in here, late one day by myself, and I thought 'we really have achieved this', and I say 'we' as in, the team," Blair said.

The first surgery was scheduled to take place on January 17, he said.