“The world’s changed, and the requirements have changed.”
New patient rooms inside the Kaimai West Wing. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
The extension adds 10 more beds, increasing the hospital’s capacity to 58.
The new rooms will be larger than the others because they will not have balconies.
Watson said this would allow more space for patients and their whānau.
He described them as “better than most hotel rooms”.
The wing followed the opening of the Ōropi Centre in May 2024, which introduced dedicated endoscopy, minor procedures and day‑stay units.
The project is also part of a broader plan that included more operating theatres, an expanded recovery area and a larger intermediate care facility, Watson said.
This will enable the hospital to expand its clinical services while strengthening the infrastructure needed to support that growth.
The newly upgraded shared staff space. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
The new wing has a communal staff lounge area.
Other new facilities include larger sterile services spaces, improved storage and administration zones, and an education area.
There is also a new inward‑goods and loading dock with lift access, biomedical workshop, processing areas for surgical equipment that is loaned to patients, and expanded parking.
Centralising processing will help streamline the high volume of orthopaedic equipment in a hospital where about half of surgeries are orthopaedic.
“It’s really unsexy stuff, but it’s really, really important that we do it right,” Watson said.
Grace Hospital’s new wing is nearly finished. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
Keeping the hospital fully functioning throughout construction has been one of the biggest challenges.
Watson said it disrupted operating theatres. However, there were strict controls to prevent dust and debris from entering the theatre airflows and patients were not affected.
The hospital operates nine theatres, two endoscopy rooms and a procedure room.
Staffing will be increased as patient volumes rise.
Grace Hospital general manager Mark Watson. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
Watson said the new wing was a key step in strengthening Grace Hospital.
“We’re very proud of what we do here. We’ve got one of the best reputations in the private hospital sector. Our patient satisfaction scores are through the roof.”
Zoe Blake is a multimedia journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post.