Hawke’s Bay’s newest hospital, Kaweka Hospital, is excited to announce a joint venture with The Eye Institute, New Zealand’s leading Ophthalmology Surgical Service.

Kaweka Hospital Managing Director, Dr Colin Hutchison, said the collaboration with The Eye Institute brings together the largest group of eye surgeons in Hawke’s Bay. Dr Hutchison also stated that this is the first of several announcements on specialist clinician services to be established at the new private hospital in Hastings.

“We’re thrilled to partner with The Eye Institute and have their well respected local eye surgeons taking residence at Kaweka Hospital. We are creating the most technologically advanced surgical hospital in Hawke’s Bay and it is important that we have leaders in specialist surgical fields such as eye care.”

Dr Hutchison said Kaweka Hospital will provide an additional 5,000 surgical procedures for the region across a range of vital specialist areas supporting both those requiring private surgical care and also the public system via the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board.

Kaweka Hospital and The Eye Institute have been awarded a DHB contract for Vitreo-retinal (VR) surgery which is a sub-specialty discipline of ophthalmology that deals with diseases of the vitreous and retina. Approximately 30 percent of patients requiring VR surgery present as emergency or urgent cases, for example retinal detachment and eye trauma.

The Eye Institute has six clinics nationally, five in Auckland and a Hastings clinic.  Their lead eye surgeons Dr Liz Insull (Senior Partner) and Dr John Beaumont will be joining Dr Ewan Fraser from Kaweka.

The Eye Institute’s, co-Chief Executive, John Fischer, said partnering with Kaweka Hospital enables the ability to create a leading edge and modern eye clinic. “We have highly experienced doctors and support staff and the relocation to Kaweka Hospital provides us with an opportunity to create a clinic that meets the current and future needs of modern eye care. It’s also important that we can offer easily accessible medical eye care to the wider community in partnership with the local DHB in a facility that is locally owned and operated, therefore having a strong focus on the health and well-being for the people of Hawke’s Bay.

He adds that The Eye Institute has the ability to utilise its wider team of leading national surgeons to support its Hawke’s Bay capacity when the need arises.

Kaweka Hospital’s first stage of four operating theatres, full pre-op and recovery areas (including overnight beds), along with 150 carparks is expected to open in early winter.

Stage 2, a 7,000m² facility with a large imaging centre and a new cancer centre is also under construction and is due to open in late 2024.