Canterbury Charity Hospital

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Rau rangatira mā, e huihui nei, tēnei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou.  Kia ora tātou katoa. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, warm greetings to you all.

I specifically acknowledge: Your Worship Bob Parker, Mayor of Christchurch; Rt Rev Victoria Matthews, Bishop of Christchurch; Professor Philip Bagshaw, Chair of the Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust; and Nano Tunnicliff, President of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation—tēnā koutou katoa.

Thank you for inviting me to open the new West Wing of the Canterbury Charity Hospital.  This is the third time I’ve acknowledged His Worship the Mayor and the second time for Bishop Matthews in the space of less than a day.  And this is the third facility I have opened or reopened in Christchurch.  After this ceremony, I’ll spend the rest of the weekend with the people of the Order of St John of Jerusalem for a meeting, a meal and an investiture.

In opening the new Christchurch City Mission and this new West Wing, and reopening the YHA Rolleston House, and my St John commitments all have some charitable theme to them.  Also, they are joyous events because they celebrate optimism and plans for a better future. 

And in the context of Christchurch, celebrating the opening of new facilities is doubly special.  They signal that this city, its communities and its people, despite all they have endured over the last two years, are moving forward with renewed enthusiasm, and hope.

I am pleased to be here because the Canterbury Charity Hospital is a special institution.  It is special because it demonstrates in a practical way inclusive and principled service to others that is of amazing benefit to the people of this city and region.

I am impressed that the hospital has just 2.1 fulltime equivalents paid staff and that everyone else works on site providing their services for free.  The contribution of the 50 surgeons, more than 30 dentists, and countless nurses, counsellors and other allied health professionals who volunteer here is absolutely outstanding.  You deserve our acknowledgement and thanks for your contribution to this amazing hospital.

The value in monetary terms of the skills, knowledge and time would surely reach into the millions of dollars a year.  However, it’s real worth is not to be measured in dollars and cents.  Rather, it lies in the contribution the people and the hospital makes to lives of people who would otherwise not be able to access services. 

Whether it is a painful hernia repaired, an endoscopy examination undertaken, grief shared in a counselling session, or a filling placed in an infected tooth; each person treated is someone who can get on with their lives.  And as one who has lived with someone who has severely sore tooth, I know only too well, getting it sorted means “others” can get on with our lives too!

Today we celebrate the opening of the Hospital’s West Wing.  It incorporates a second theatre unit, a dental unit, counselling rooms and a teaching room where medical students can observe operations through video technology.

These new facilities are sorely needed in this community, whose public hospital services have suffered significant damage or have been closed because they are considered to be earthquake-prone.  I understand that the counselling unit has already completed more than 2000 appointments, the number of hernia operations has doubled and the dental unit is full to overflowing.  It is clear that this hospital, and these new facilities, are meeting a genuine community need.

I want to congratulate everyone involved in the establishment of the Canterbury Charity Hospital, and particularly those involved in acquiring these new facilities.  Everyone involved, from the funders and donors, through to the medical and health professionals and others who volunteer their knowledge, time and skills are to be commended.  Your public-spiritedness, and your commitment and compassion for others are an example to us all.  Together you are making a huge difference to the health and wellbeing of the Canterbury community.

As Governor-General, it is an honour to be here in Christchurch and to take part in events that share the themes of – hope, faith and charity – and I have great pleasure in declaring the West Wing of the Canterbury Charity Hospital officially open. Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.