Starship Children's Hospital is asking Kiwis for help expanding its paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) capacity as it is consistently facing a shortage of beds.
Starship has just 22 beds in its PICU, which it says is not enough due to New Zealand's population growth, changes in care and treatment of critically sick and injured children, and a growing complexity of cases they treat.
Dr John Beca, director of Starship's surgical and intensive care services, says occupancy levels are "now critical on average every second day", which means there are less than two beds available in the unit. He says the need to expand is now "urgent".
Ten new intensive care beds will be added before winter next year, which will lift capacity by 45 percent. Additional whānau and staff support spaces and a new medical day stay unit are also part of the redevelopment project, which will roll out over two to three years.
"This is a major redevelopment at our national children's hospital which will benefit whānau from right across New Zealand who are facing their toughest times with a child who is seriously unwell or injured," Dr Beca says.
"Adding ten intensive care beds will address and future-proof the urgent capacity issue. More whānau support spaces will improve the experience for our families, and additional staff and administration space will ensure we can continue to attract and retain our best and brightest staff to care for our children."
On average, there are 1200 admissions to Starship PICU each year and more than half of those are from outside greater Auckland.
Starship Foundation chief executive Aisha Daji Punga says they are asking for New Zealanders' help to raise money for the $40 million project.
"We are so grateful for the government's $25m commitment and the Starship Foundation is working hard to raise the extra $15m. With $7m secured in pledges and donations we're already halfway there," she says.
"Expanding Starship's PICU is the biggest and most vital fundraising challenge in our history. We urgently need the help of generous New Zealanders to make this happen."
Donations can be made online here or by contacting the Starship Foundation directly.
