Content Archived on the Web

This content has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please check our menus for latest news items.

Last modified: 29 Jul 2020 10:39am

An artists impression of how the new health hub will look

The Selwyn District Council and the Canterbury District Health Board (DHB) have agreed plans to build and fit out an integrated health and social services hub in Rolleston.

The Health Hub was initially proposed by the Council in 2017 as a way to improve access to health services for Selwyn’s rapidly-growing population, with the DHB coming on board as a partner and primary leaseholder. Pacific Radiology has also been confirmed as a leaseholder for the hub.

Carolyn Gullery, DHB Executive Director Planning and Funding and Decision Support, says Canterbury DHB signed the lease today, which gives the green light to the Council to begin construction on the project, expected to start in early March.

The new hub will be built on land directly opposite the Council offices in Rolleston, next to the St John’s ambulance base – an ideal location for this exciting new development.

The Council has appointed construction firm Naylor Love as the lead contractor for the build, following a tender process.

Budget for the construction is $14.7 million, funded as a commercial investment. The fit out of the Canterbury DHB component of the health and social services hub will be an additional cost for the DHB, yet to be confirmed.

It will comprise a primary birthing unit, plus DHB community health services and will sit alongside a General Practice, radiology and other community health and social services.

The facility will be built using the same co-design principles as for the highly acclaimed Rangiora Health Hub and will take elements from its design.

Selwyn Mayor Sam Broughton says he is delighted to see the project getting under way.

“This is another example of Selwyn looking well ahead and investing strategically to ensure the district continues to grow and prosper,” he says.

“Both organisations are looking to provide for the future needs of our Selwyn population, and this centre is a positive step.

“During consultation our community strongly endorsed the idea of having a wider range of health providers located in the district, reducing the need for the people of Selwyn to travel out of the district for care.

“From a Selwyn perspective, it will be part of the mix of amenities and facilities that make the district such an attractive place to buy a home and bring up a family.”

The planned development also ticks one of the Canterbury Health System’s strategic aims – which is to meet people’s health needs by providing health support and services close to home and in the community.

Discussions are well underway with staff likely to be based in the new facility to outline the proposal, the rationale behind it and how it might affect them, Carolyn Gullery says.

“This is a significant and exciting development for the Selwyn community to ensure we can provide sustainable health and social services for a dynamic and rapidly-growing community – and we fully support the Council’s view that Rolleston is the best and ideal location for a new health hub.

“Our job is to provide the right services where people need them most, and we believe Rolleston is the right place for a fully integrated local health hub.”

“We have been talking with DHB maternity and dental staff about the planned facility. We will engage them in deciding its internal layout to ensure it works for them and for the people who use it.

Rolleston has the added benefit of a faster connection with Christchurch. Once the Southern Motorway links have been completed it could be as little as 20 minutes to Christchurch Women’s Hospital if an emergency transfer was necessary and will shorten journey times for Christchurch-based midwives, providing greater choice for pregnant women in Selwyn.

“Both organisations are committed to engaging in a timely way for the community as plans develop. We look forward to sharing more details with our wider Selwyn community as the facility takes shape. I also look forward to a productive and collaborative partnership with Selwyn District Council which could yet yield more benefits for our community.”

Dr Jeremy Sharr, Pacific Radiology Managing Radiologist for the Canterbury Region says the company is excited to be an integral partner of this new health hub in Rolleston which will provide patients with greater access to world class radiology including MRI, CT, Ultrasound and X-ray services. The project is an excellent example of the Selwyn District Council working with its local community to identify ways in which it can best support and meet the health care needs of New Zealand’s fastest growing residential community, he says.

“Our primary focus is to deliver world-class radiology, locally and it’s fantastic to work with a Council committed to increasing health services through a brand new, purpose built facility.  We look forward to bringing our full range of services to the Selwyn community from the new Rolleston health hub next year."