Verrall is curiously shy about the Govt’s injecting $12.3 million into a birthing unit in the Waitākeres
Uh, oh. The Government has nothing to declare – or rather, it had posted no news on the Government’s official website when Point of Order checked at 1pm.
Thus it looked like ministers have had nothing to announce since Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta yesterday said New Zealand was providing humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco.
This suggests the Beehive’s inhabitants are busy out on the hustings, feverishly doing their bit to try to ensure Labour’s re-election.
But wait: Health Minister Ayesha Verrall did have ministerial duties to perform yesterday (although nowadays it can be hard to distinguish the performance of ministerial duties from pitching for votes).
She announced funding of $12.3 million for a new primary birthing unit at Waitākere Hospital.
But Verrall has striven to reach an audience beyond the Auckland region: she drew attention to the development of the Waitākere Primary Birthing Unit being just one of 110 health infrastructure projects worth $7.7 billion currently being planned and delivered across the country to enhance New Zealand’s hospital and health services.
Earlier in the week Verrall announced she had “proudly opened the Canterbury Cancer Centre in Christchurch”.
That news was posted on the Government’s official website.
News of $12.3 million of funding for a birthing unit in Waitakere has not been posted.
But the press statement was emailed to us, here at Point of Order, and it was sent to Scoop for posting on its website.
Verrall says:
“The new facility will include six birthing or postnatal suites, a whānau room, education room, staff areas and gardens.
“The unit will also include Auckland’s first community breast milk bank to enable more babies to have access to breastmilk, especially the most-vulnerable babies being cared for in the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU). Milk banks ensure the safe distribution of human breast milk, which is pasteurised and frozen before being distributed to whānau most in-need.”
The unit will enable an increase in capacity of 500 births a year.
And can you guess what else…?
“This will also free up space in the Waitākere Maternity Unit for pregnant people who are unwell and need specialist care,” Verrall said.
Point of Order eagerly awaits news of the first pregnant bloke being given this specialist care.
Verrall went on to beat the cultural drum:
“The unit has been co-designed with clinicians and the community. It not only increases beds, it provides access to maternity services for Māori, Pacific and teenage parents in a culturally appropriate way.
“Local midwives have been consulted with to identify clinical service needs as well mana whenua to understand appropriate tikanga practices. A key focus of this development is to meet the aspirations of Māori, Pacific and teen parents to encourage early engagement with maternity care, and to create an environment where people feel welcome and safe in the unit.”
Construction of the unit is expected to get underway in March 2024, with completion due in May 2025.
Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
But wait: Health Minister Ayesha Verrall did have ministerial duties to perform yesterday (although nowadays it can be hard to distinguish the performance of ministerial duties from pitching for votes).
She announced funding of $12.3 million for a new primary birthing unit at Waitākere Hospital.
But Verrall has striven to reach an audience beyond the Auckland region: she drew attention to the development of the Waitākere Primary Birthing Unit being just one of 110 health infrastructure projects worth $7.7 billion currently being planned and delivered across the country to enhance New Zealand’s hospital and health services.
Earlier in the week Verrall announced she had “proudly opened the Canterbury Cancer Centre in Christchurch”.
That news was posted on the Government’s official website.
News of $12.3 million of funding for a birthing unit in Waitakere has not been posted.
But the press statement was emailed to us, here at Point of Order, and it was sent to Scoop for posting on its website.
Verrall says:
“The new facility will include six birthing or postnatal suites, a whānau room, education room, staff areas and gardens.
“The unit will also include Auckland’s first community breast milk bank to enable more babies to have access to breastmilk, especially the most-vulnerable babies being cared for in the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU). Milk banks ensure the safe distribution of human breast milk, which is pasteurised and frozen before being distributed to whānau most in-need.”
The unit will enable an increase in capacity of 500 births a year.
And can you guess what else…?
“This will also free up space in the Waitākere Maternity Unit for pregnant people who are unwell and need specialist care,” Verrall said.
Point of Order eagerly awaits news of the first pregnant bloke being given this specialist care.
Verrall went on to beat the cultural drum:
“The unit has been co-designed with clinicians and the community. It not only increases beds, it provides access to maternity services for Māori, Pacific and teenage parents in a culturally appropriate way.
“Local midwives have been consulted with to identify clinical service needs as well mana whenua to understand appropriate tikanga practices. A key focus of this development is to meet the aspirations of Māori, Pacific and teen parents to encourage early engagement with maternity care, and to create an environment where people feel welcome and safe in the unit.”
Construction of the unit is expected to get underway in March 2024, with completion due in May 2025.
Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
2 comments:
What is the current status of the new Dunedin Hospital?
Are Labour still cutting theatres and wards because they couldn't find the money ?
Where did they find($120M) and give it to the struggling academics at Otago University to re-name it into something in te reo ,and keep their ever so woke staff at their wokeness ?
What exctly is a whenau room and what are conditons for use? Is it to hold attending whenau hordes and keep the wards clear? Will it be avilable to or tenable by those not possessed of te ao?
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