Ngāti Rora kaumatua Kingi Turner
More than 100 years since its foundation stone was laid, Te Kūiti Hospital marked a major milestone at the weekend.
Kingi Turner, Lynne Stafford and Tania Wano – a charge nurse at Te Kūiti Hospital Hospital for 30 years – were pictured last weekend during celebrations marking a century of health care. Health Minister Simeon Brown was on hand to plant a ceremonial tree.
Completed in November 1926, the hospital has been operating since early 1927.
Commemorations were deferred until this month with hopes of fairer weather for the event.
Earlier, hospital charge nurse and centenary committee member, Tania Te Wano, told The News there had been iconic surgeons and doctors, medical advancements, births of legends, helicopter transfers and pandemic responses coordinated.
“There is so much history and many personal stories that give this hospital a special place in the hearts and minds of many in our community.”
Deputy Mayor Eady Manawaiti Waitomo Council with Lynne Stafford
Held at the hospital grounds at the weekend, the event was attended by health minister, Simeon Brown, mana whenua and staff as well as members of the Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board.
Brown said the hospital was a symbol of perseverance and partnership.
“The story of this hospital is one of community spirit. From those who saw the need a century ago and built something enduring, to those who keep it going today, the same spirit continues,” he said.
“For a century, Te Kūiti Hospital has been at the heart of the King Country community, delivering essential care and support to generations of local families.
The hospital’s foundation stone was laid in 1925
He said over the past year, more than 3000 patients had presented to the hospital’s emergency department, which continued to exceed the national health target for shorter stays in emergency departments.
Brown planted a commemorative tree on the hospital grounds to mark the milestone and honour generations of workers and patients.
Hosted by Ngāti Rora, the event recognised the legacy of those who built and sustained the hospital.
The hospital sits on land gifted by Rangatira Tanirau Hetet whose uri (descendants) attended the centenary to honour the contribution of their tūpuna.
It was noted that by donating 3.5 acres of land, Tanirau Hetet laid the foundation for an enduring partnership between Māori and the Crown to deliver vital health services across the King Country.
Health Minister Simeon Brown planting rākau
James Boney, a hospital board member at the time, began campaigning for a public hospital in 1919. The hospital was completed in 1926 and its first patients admitted in early 1927.
Following the Second World War, many a baby boomer was born at the hospital. More beds, a nursing school, operating theatres, a laboratory, specialist units and accommodation buildings were added.
However, severe funding cuts in the 1980s saw surgery services reduced, and patients increasingly sent to Waikato Hospital for operations. The hospital’s first redundancies followed along with unit closures.
Aggrieved letters to the editors of newspapers, protests, petitions and strikes followed but to little avail.
From a height of more than 100 beds, Te Kūiti Hospital now has about 12.
A section of the crowd at the Te Kuiti Hospital celebrations
Although health funding remains a contentious topic, as evidenced by the recent ‘mega strike’ which included health workers, the government’s rural health strategy could see the hospital return to its heyday.
The hospital has been chosen as one of six rural health hubs across rural New Zealand.
“As we celebrate 100 years of Te Kūiti Hospital, we also look to the next 100. We’re building the foundations for rural New Zealanders to continue having access to quality, reliable healthcare close to home,” Brown said.
“Rural hospitals such as Te Kūiti are vital to ensuring people in smaller communities can access healthcare without travelling long distances.”
A new medical school in Hamilton may also benefit Te Kūiti Hospital as doctors are expected to be placed in rural communities as part of their training.
Te Kuiti Hospital
