Christchurch Hospital handles dozens of helicopter missions every week. We transfer seriously injured patients from accidents, and critically unwell people from regional hospitals, to the intensive care they need at Christchurch Hospital.

We’ve needed a helipad on the hospital roof for as long as I can remember. Now we have approval for a basic facility as a part of the new hospital build.

With the help of our community and the Māia Health Foundation, we can build Christchurch the larger helipad we really need, so we can take care of patients from two aircraft at once. We’ll also provide a clinical support area right there on the roof, providing immediate, lifesaving measures on touchdown.

Currently, critically unwell and injured patients must land in the park across the road from the hospital. It takes 13 valuable minutes to unload and transfer them to the emergency department – minutes these patients may not have.

Crucially, our new helipad will allow us to do away with the current need to transfer patients from Hagley Park. We only have one chance to get this right, and I believe it’s essential we do it properly, building a helipad that not only meets demand now but is future proofed as well.

It’s about getting people well, sooner. Just think what a difference that could make.