SPIRE
SPIRE (Surgical Procedural Interventional Recovery Expansion)
will expand our Surgical and Gastroenterology facility. Two additional theatres and a cardiac catheterisation laboratory will be added to the existing theatre suite. In addition, the number of procedure rooms in our Gastroenterology Department will be increased from two to four. Further work will see the flow of patients through theatre and gastroenterology improved with an expanded Day of Surgery (DOSA) area and post-surgery recovery area.
The project is being done in two stages. Stage 1 includes DOSA, Recovery, Gastroenterology, and a staff area. Stage 2 includes the theatres and the cath lab, as well as the installation of ancilliary plant on the roof top. The cath lab will be an exciting new addition to the hospital, with many cardiac patients able to be treated in Palmerston North instead of having to travel to Wellington.
Completion of Stage 1 was achieved on 13 February 2023. DOSA, Gastroenterology and Recovery services are enjoying working from their new and improved areas. Stage 2 is on track for completion by the end of 2023.
Stage 2, January - December 2023
On 23 November, the operating theatres (2 new and 1 replacement) and the fourth procedure rooms were completed and went into use. A week later, the cardia cath lab opened. Work continues to complete the remaining areas within the theatre suite - the patient reception area and nursing station in the Post Anaesthetic Care Unit.
I The construction of the cardiac cath lab, operating theatres and the fourth procedure room involved a lot of work establishing and connecting the many, largely unseen services needed to operate these areas. As sterile environments, strong controls around temperature, humidity, and air changes per hour were required. Medical gases, suction, power, heating and ventilation systems, energy and water also needed to be installed. Once the construction was completed, equipment was installed and the areas fitted out for use.
The results speak for themselves.
The new cardiac cath lab - 23 November 2023
A new theatre - 23 November 2023
One of the new theatres
Setting up the theatres - 15 November 2023
7 November 2023 - New theatre scrub bay
26 October 2023 - Installation of cath lab equipment underway
7 November 2023 - New theatre
26 October 2023 - Cath lab equipment arrives on site
18 October 2023 - Cathlab
18 October 2023
13 October 2023
3 October 2023 - Cathlab
3 October 2023 - Cathlab
3 October 2023 - Storeroom
14 September 2023 - Installation of pendants
31 August 2023
31 August 2023 - Cathlab
21 August 2023 - One of the two new operating theatres looking towards the set up room
21 August 2023 - The set up room
21 August 2023 - Main theatre storeroom
7 August 2023 - Roof mounted rails for Cath Lab
7 August 2023 - Lino laying underway
7 August 2023
17 July 2023 - Theatre 8 walls painted
17 July 2023 - Theatre 9 gibbed ready for painting
11 July 2023 - Air handling plant installed on roof top
29 June 2023 - Plant being installed on rooftop
29 June 2023 - Plant being installed on rooftop
29 June 2023 - Electrical & other keys services progressing
16 June 2023 - Services being installed
16 June 2023- Keys services progressing
15 June 2023- Ceiling ducting for services
15 June 2023- Services being installed
15 June 2023 - Cath lab gantry rail in place
18 May 2023
18 May 2023
18 May 2023
18 May 2023
18 May 2023 - Cath lab
8 May 2023
8 May 2023
8 May 2023
19 April 2023
27 March 2023
19 April 2023 - Theatre area will house district's first cath lab
27 March 2023
27 March 2023
21 February 2023
21 February 2023
17 July 2023
January 2023
Stage 1 completed February 2023
New Gastroenterology Suite
New Recovery Unit
New Day of Surgery Unit
Progress Timeline
October - December 2022 | Final construction works and finishing trades
October 2022 a milestone month- Procedure Room 1 completed
The new decontamination suite is substantially larger than the previous unit and has new drying cabinets . The new cabinets are a huge step forward, enabling more robust infection prevention measures.
The Sterile Supply Team now has the ability to process over 30 percent as many endoscopes.
July 2022 - a milestone month | Decontamination Unit completed
July also saw work to remove the concrete sunshades on the side of the hospital’s tower block. These had to go to make room for the new pipework and ventilation systems needed for SPIRE.
Scaffolding and gear in place for Sunshade removal
Sunshade secured
First sunshade placed onto trolley for taking out
Scaffolders secure next sunshade for removal
Half the sunshades removed
Scaffolding for roof tent being assembled
June 2022 - preparation for roof work begins
The new theatres and cath lab will be supported by a plant room. This is to be located on the roof. In readiness for this, work began to bring in the scaffolding and materials needed.
A crane, weighing in at 120 tonnes and with a reach of 60 metres, made easy work of lifting the material up and over the hospital’s loading bay and onto the roof or into the children’s play area.
Craning in material for creating a new plant room and the scaffolding needed for the team to access the roof - first lift ready to go
Ready to go
Up and over the hospital corridor
Arriving in the drop off zone
Access walkway taking shape
Access walkway - view from the top
Roof top plant room next to be established and first stage of scaffolding in place for contractors' access
A new plant room will be established on the roof space over coming months
February 2022 - a milestone month | Theatre change rooms completed
The theatre change rooms were long in need of an overall. The new facilities are larger, reflecting the number of staff they support, and have been well received.
This part of the project was largely completed over the Christmas/New Year holiday period (Dec 21/Jan 22) to minimise the impact on theatre services.
In the beginning ……
a design to increase the hospital’s theatre and gastroenterology capacity, and to bring the first cardiac catheterisation laboratory to the district.
