The Star: November 19, 2020

The 4K imaging system
provides surgeons with
unparalleled vision inside the
human body via large screens in
the operating theatre.
St George’s Hospital was also
one of the first in New Zealand to
install a high-definition surgical
video system, using similar technology
to Disney Pixar animators.
It maximises the amount of detail
a surgeon can see.
Perioperative services manager
Ali Perry said the system is an
exciting advancement for the
hospital.
“The display technology provides
the most accurate, highest
resolution surgical video which is
particularly important for imageguided
procedures. It is about
providing the surgeon with the
tools to make the right decision at
the right time, ultimately leading
to superior clinical outcomes.”
The new buildings at the hospital
feature a base isolation system
sourced from the United States.
The buildings, which sit on rubber
pads, can move up to 650mm
in any direction – reducing the
amount the buildings flex during
an earthquake, protecting people
and equipment inside.
•St George’s is holding an
open day on Saturday from
noon to 4pm. The last tour
leaves at 3pm.
THE CITY’S new Christchurch
Hospital helipad was scheduled
to start operating from today.
With landing space for two
helicopters on top of the new
hospital, it will be the only
helipad in New Zealand to have
a clinical support unit, which
will enable specialist treatment
immediately on touchdown.
Until now, helicopters were
landing in Hagley Park and it
was taking at least an extra 13
minutes to transfer patients by
road ambulance to Christchurch
Hospital. This is the same
amount of time it takes to
fly a patient from Akaroa to
Christchurch.
Christchurch Hospital is New
Zealand’s largest trauma centre
and, before the new Waipapa
hospital opened this week, it was
the only tertiary hospital in New
Zealand without a helipad.
Canterbury West Coast Air
Rescue chair Trust Murray
EMERGENCY PATIENTS at
Christchurch Hospital started
experiencing a brand new
facility yesterday.
Christchurch Hospital’s
emergency department is now
located on the ground floor of
the new $525 million Waipapa
building.
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
SECURE: The Westpac Rescue Helicopter landing on the
new helipad. ​
Willocks said it is a world-class
facility which enables a seamless
transition to treatment for
trauma patients.
“Having such an advanced
and future-proofed helipad at
Christchurch Hospital is going
to give patients a speedy and
smooth transition from the
scene to the emergency department,”
he said.
“It will result in not only a
drastically improved patient
ED clinical director David
Richards said Waipapa will have
more natural light and patients
will have more room.
He said it will be a beautiful
space in which to work compared
to what they have been
working in for the past 25 years.
The hospital is slowly being
experience, but also much improved
patient outcomes.”
Westpac Rescue Helicopter
operations manager and senior
pilot Stuart Farquhar said the
helipad was a huge step forward
for patients, and health and
safety.
“Having a secure landing
pad is so important for a pilot.
We will not be disturbing all of
those weekend sports anymore,
although I will miss waving
shifted into Waipapa over the
next two weeks.
Richards has asked that only
patients with urgent and serious
issues go to the emergency
department.
Three-hundred and fiftynine
patients were treated at
Christchurch Hospital on
Thursday November 19 2020 The Star
NEWS 7
theatre Chch Hospital helipad due to open
to all of the families in Hagley
Park,” he said.
With the help of the Maia
Health Foundation, the new
helipad is 30 per cent bigger than
initially planned, enabling two
helicopters to access the helipad
at the same time.
Canterbury West Coast Air
Rescue Trust chief executive
Christine Prince said it was
a new era of air rescue for
Christchurch which could not
have been achieved without the
help of the community through
vital fundraising efforts, over
many years.
“To keep the rescue helicopters
in the air, we aim to fundraise
$6 million every year to
contribute our goal of $5,000
for each mission and to provide
equipment and essential crew
training. Fundraising has been
difficult this year due to COVID,
and our busiest time of year is
now approaching,” she said.
ED relocated; call for urgent cases only
Sunday, a record number for a
single day where a large-scale
emergency hadn’t occurred.
That is one patient every four
minutes.
The Waipapa building is
located behind Christchurch
Women’s Hospital on Riccarton
Ave.
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