August 07, 2008

New Franz Josef Facility

The West Coast DHB and St John are pleased to announce that both organisations have now approved the construction of a new joint facility for Franz Josef.

The new building will see a new DHB health clinic integrated with a new St John ambulance station, to be located on a Cron Street site that St John has already purchased for this purpose.

The ambulance station includes garaging for two ambulances and sleeping accommodation for ambulance staff.

With four clinic rooms and a dedicated treatment room, the DHB accommodation will be larger than other rural clinics, reflecting the growing population and tourist numbers in Franz Josef. The new clinic is likely to become the hub of the South Westland practice.

A feature of the design will be the dedicated training facility, which will have shared usage by the DHB and St John.

WCDHB General Manager - Corporate Services, Wayne Champion commented that "Collaborative arrangements such as this will be essential to the ongoing sustainability of health services in remote locations such as South Westland".

Mr Champion could not release the information on the cost of the project, as it was still to be subject to a competitive tender process but advised that the DHB has agreed to fully fund its share of the facility.

St John Regional Chief Executive Tony Blaber said St John was pleased to be working with the West Coast District Health Board on this project. "St John is committed to providing the best quality emergency care to the West Coast community."

District Chair for St John, Mr Des McEnaney, said "we will need to fundraise for the ambulance station but we are sure the community will be supportive".

It is expected that construction will commence in January 2009, with the clinic taking approximately 6 months to complete.

For more information please contact

Bryan Jamieson
Community Liaison Officer
West Coast DHB
PO Box 387
Greymouth 7840
Phone (DDI): (03) 769-7665
Mobile: 027 245-9595
Email: 

Alternatively you could contact

Ian Henderson
Public Relations Coordinator
Northern Region (SI)
St John
174 Durham Street
PO Box 1443
Christchurch
DDI (03) 353-7110, Ext 3222
Fax (03) 353-7112
Mobile: 027 436-2528
Email: