The Government has approved a $14.6m laboratory expansion for Middlemore Hospital

Health Minister David Clark has approved Counties Manukau DHB's self-funded $14.6 million dialysis and cardiac laboratory expansion.

Health Minister David Clark has approved Counties Manukau DHB's self-funded $14.6 million dialysis and cardiac laboratory expansion at Middlemore Hospital.

The new facilities at the hospital would make a real difference to the lives of more than 100 seriously unwell people each week, he said.

"The DHB has high health needs, particularly amongst Māori and Pacific communities, and we know this investment will make a big difference to both patients and staff," he said.

The almost $15m would be spent on a high dependency dialysis unit and cardiac catheter laboratory services expansion.

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the Northern region and over 1500 patients were treated in the DHB's cath lab in the past year.

Having a second procedure room, according to Clark, will enable the DHB to carry out more lifesaving procedures more swiftly, also reducing the need for further care in the future.

Last year, Counties Manukau DHB's high dependency dialysis service, which currently has 20 beds, treated up to 92 patients a week.

Clark said this upgrade and expansion will deliver an extra six beds, which means an additional 24 patients can be treated each week.

"The investment also means a second cardiac catheter laboratory [cath lab] will be built, providing more specialised procedures for people with acute and long term cardiac conditions."

A two-storey extension will be constructed next to Middlemore's Scott Building for the expansion and refurbishment of the dialysis and cardiac catheter laboratory services.

The project has been planned around the current Scott Building recladding work which will be completed before this design work is finished. Construction is expected to begin in 2021 and is due to be completed by 2023.

"Modern, fit for purpose health facilities play a key role in ensuring New Zealanders get the care they need to improve their health and wellbeing," Clark said.