Multi Million-Dollar Upgrade.. Waste of Resources.

At a time when the government is to reign in unnecessary health spending, and instead refocuse its resources on more efficient healthcare services. The Taranaki District Health Board is to continue with a multi million-dollar upgrade of Taranaki Base Hospital. Nick Boheimer TDHB advisory committee member also questioned whether going ahead with the Ist stage of a 3 stage multi million-dollar upgrade called "Project Maunga" was the best use of funds while the board struggled with a projected deficit of $2.95 million. A joint project with the University of Auckland “Project Splice” has also told the TDHB that a predicted fall in Taranaki's population by 8 per cent from 2001 to 2021 when the national population will grow by 17 per cent. Will lead to a reduction in health funding of existing services in Taranaki not increase them. Making the multi million-dollar upgrades redundant. Future regional hospitals in general need to be smaller more boutique specialised hosipitals with services that are more flexible to better suit the smaller regions needs. Not large uncompromising monstrosities that are costly and enfficent to run.

Rusty Kane