New Day Stay Unit At Starship Children's Hospital Will Increase Capacity
Minister of Health
Health Minister Simeon Brown today officially opened the new Athlae Lyon Day Stay Unit at Starship Children's Hospital, marking a major milestone in the ongoing redevelopment of New Zealand's largest children's hospital.
'Starship plays a critical role in caring for our most vulnerable children, not just from Auckland but from right across New Zealand. It provides lifesaving care and specialist services that families depend on during some of the most challenging times they will face,' Mr Brown says.
'This new, purpose-built medical day stay unit is a significant step toward delivering the modern, fit-for-purpose health services that children and their families deserve.
'It offers a dedicated, child-friendly space for procedures that don't require an overnight stay – such as infusions, allergy testing, medical reviews for chronic conditions, and sleep studies. The bright, welcoming environment is designed to support a positive experience for both patients and their families.'
The new unit replaces a much smaller area that accommodated just three procedure chairs, nearly tripling capacity to six chairs along with two flexible rooms that can be used for sleep studies or as isolation spaces when infection control is required.
'Shifting appropriate procedures to this new day stay unit will help hospital teams work more efficiently, allowing more children to receive timely care with fewer delays caused by inpatient bed shortages – leading to shorter wait times and improved access to essential treatments for children and their families.
'At the same time, freeing up inpatient beds will ensure those requiring acute or planned overnight care have access to the space they need - enabling the hospital to use its capacity more effectively, improving care for all patients.
'I know that hospital visits can be stressful for children and their families. This new unit is designed with their wellbeing in mind, helping to ease that stress through a more supportive environment, and providing smarter, more efficient care – ensuring every child receives the right treatment, at the right time,' Mr Brown says.
Note:
Starship provides complex medical, surgical, cardiac, and mental health services for children and young people across New Zealand and the South Pacific, with nearly 130,000 patient visits each year.
The Athlae Lyon Day Stay Unit is a key part of the broader project to modernise and significantly expand Starship's facilities by 2026. The redevelopment, which is set to add approximately 1300m2 of new functional space to the building, also includes an expanded national Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), new family rooms for PICU patients, a simulation suite, and additional space for staff training and support.
The total cost of the project is $48 million, with $25 million provided by the Crown as part of the Health Infrastructure Package announced in late 2019, and $23 million contributed by the Starship Foundation.
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