QE Health set to build new building at innovation park
After 76 years of lakefront views, QE Health is on the move to the Scion Innovation Park.
QE Health chief executive officer Andrina Romano said she was excited to announce a state-ofthe-art wellness centre would be built and hopefully ready to move into in November next year.
“The lease for our current site ends in November 2019, so the hope is we can close one door and open the next into our new building.”
She said the remainder of this year would be spent finalising funding for the estimated $23 million build and also finalising the bespoke building’s design. It is hoped the groundwork would begin before the end of this year.
“We are in discussions with a number of partners regarding funding so be sure to watch this space for any announcements,” Romano said.
“With our rich history in this sector, QE Health is ideally placed to lead the way. We’re working closely with local iwi to improve health outcomes and develop business opportunities.”
QE Health board chairman Paul Laing said the business was more than just a spa.
“We’re a one-stop shop, a range of overlapping services with a proven clinical approach, that underpins all of our work,” Laing said. “It’s our unique point of difference, not just in New Zealand, but worldwide.”
He said wellness and spa was a very big part of the city’s future vision (Rotorua 2030/2050).
QE Health was originally built as a convalescent hospital for servicemen returning from World War II.
“The holistic approach to health care, under one roof, really was revolutionary in 1942,” Romano said.
“That work continued after the war and still does in 2018.”
Programmes are funded by ACC and district health boards and are available privately.
Also on offer are a fully equipped gym that anyone can join, physiotherapy, orthotics, occupational therapy, psychology and counselling, rheumatology, yoga and a fracture liaison service.
The spa is open to locals and tourists with a full range of mud, massage, thermal hot pools and beauty therapy.
In 2016 Romano said the current building was only meant to be temporary, to last 10 to 15 years.
“It’s served all the thousands of locals, New Zealanders and visitors from overseas who’ve visited for over 70 years and wears its battle scars proudly.
“The new building is architecturally designed, will be ecofriendly, and will meet all our current and future needs.”