New surgical centre at Greenlane

Aucklanders having elective surgery can look forward to shorter waiting times, fewer postponements and reduced cancellations thanks to the new Greenlane Surgical Centre (GSC) that was officially opened today.

Situated in the existing Greenlane Clinical Centre, the new surgical centre is designed to facilitate an increase in some day-stay elective procedures. It will also allow for procedures which require overnight post-operative care. The Greenlane Surgical Centre contains three new operating rooms as well as one refurbished and extended operating room.

With $27 million dollars of capital investment, the new centre brings expanded modern service capabilities that will lead to patients having better, more convenient and timely access to a number of short-stay elective surgery procedures. These operational capabilities will allow the ADHB to deliver 4,500 discharges at the GSC by 2015/16.

Auckland District Health Board Chairman, Lester Levy says, “The new Greenlane facilities are designed to support a new, innovative way of working which will improve Aucklanders’ experience of short-stay elective surgery. We’re also working to achieve better access to elective surgery for the people of our city, as outlined by the Ministry of Health’s national health targets. This is an exciting step in realising this goal.”

Director of Anaesthesia and Operating Rooms, Vanessa Beavis says the new facilities boost the services offered at Greenlane. “The addition of an overnight ward for post-operative care means we are able to offer a more diverse range of procedures than just day surgery, in turn helping to reduce demand at other facilities. Everyone is looking forward to the increased operational ability the centre is going to provide the ADHB.”

Minister of Health, the Hon. Tony Ryall, officially opened the centre at lunchtime today, after a tour of the new facilities that, in addition to the new and extended operating rooms, include an expanded pre-op area, new Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD) and a new overnight ward which will open mid 2012. Construction on the surgical centre began 15 months ago and improvements will continue with a home dialysis unit due to open later this year and a new eye clinic opening in early 2012.