Auckland hospitals get $305m for repairs and upgrades

The Government will put $305 million towards repairs and upgrades at Auckland's hospitals.

Auckland City Hospital, Starship Hospital and the Greenlane Clinical Centre will get a $275 million boost, while Auckland District Health Board will invest the remaining $30 million over the next three years.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said: "It's no secret that our hospitals have been underfunded for many years. That's left us a legacy of deferred maintenance and aging infrastructure that we can no longer ignore."

The investment will go towards infrastructure repairs including lift upgrades, new fire protection systems, new electrical substations, and water storage.

The money comes out of the $750 million set aside in Budget 2018 for new capital projects.

Health Minister Dr David Clark says the work will be on "often invisible infrastructure" that keeps hospitals running.

"While patients, whanau and staff may not immediately see a lot of difference as a result of this remediation programme, it will mean fewer operational failures, greater efficiency and responsiveness, and improved safety and resilience," Dr Clark said.

He said it would provide a foundation for future development, and while it was important for Auckland future investment would be needed nationwide to deal with a backlog of problems and a growing population.

Earlier this year it was revealed that several buildings at Middlemore Hospital had serious problems with rot, mould and leaks. 

Newshub.