Government announces two big hospital funding projects worth $150 million

The Government has been splashing the pre-budget cash, making two big hospital funding announcements worth $150 million.

The funding will see West Auckland get a new hospital ward and a spinal unit in south Auckland will be replaced.

Grant Sharman was the first patient at the Auckland Spinal Rehabilitation Unit in Otara in 1977 following a life-changing game of rugby at the age of 15. 

"A ruck formed, they dived in and I broke my neck and that was it and I went from wanting to be a pilot in the Air Force to being, 'I've no idea what I want to do'," Sharman said.

He spent 11 years at the rehabilitation unit learning how to live again, but while he's changed, clinical director Dr Geoff Green admits the unit hasn't.

"I think the staff are excellent and the work they do is wonderful, they do great work, but the facilities are out of date," said Dr Green.

Health Minister Andrew Little on Wednesday announced $110 million in funding to replace the Auckland Spinal Rehabilitation Unit with a new unit at the Manukau Health Park.

"A new facility with more beds and co-located with other services that means you can have across the board support way better than what we've got here at the moment," Little said.

The new unit will not only accommodate spinal patients and their whanau, but will also provide rehabilitation for those who've had a stroke or amputation.

In a second health funding announcement on Wednesday, the Government is stumping up $40 million for a 30-bed inpatient ward at Waitakere Hospital - meaning more West Aucklanders can be treated closer to home.