The new Dunstan Hospital has been opened…the landscaping is nearly complete.  So some may think that the volunteers involved in The Friends of Dunstan Hospital have completed their task?

The Dunstan Hospital in 1958

Not so.  According to the Friends, their job will never be over!

The Friends of Dunstan Hospital was established in 1992, initially with the mission of improving the conditions for patients and the staff at Dunstan Hospital.  At that time Shirley Alabaster, who was instrumental in establishing the Friends group, says they never dreamed of a new hospital.

“But just seven years later we were very much dreaming of a new hospital,” says Shirley.

In the late 1990s The Friends of Dunstan Hospital and the community won a major battle – they convinced the Government to not only keep their hospital open, but to build a new one.  Government funding of just over $8 million was provided for building works for the Hospital but Central Otago Health (Inc) was tasked with finding the $2.4 million to fit out the hospital.

The Friends of Dunstan Hospital, which effectively operates as Central Otago Health’s funding arm, set about the task of raising the funds needed for their dream hospital to become a reality.

Saving their local hospital was an enormous achievement, and one which earned The Friends of Dunstan Hospital the Supreme Award at the 2004 TrustPower Central Otago Community Awards.  The Friends then went on to be named Supreme Winner at the 2004 TrustPower National Community Awards.

But while celebrating their success, the Friends did not rest.  They continued their fundraising to ensure the hospital had the equipment needed on opening day.  Thanks to a large donation from the Central Lakes Trust and the Otago Trust, the generosity of the Central Otago public and thousands of hours of voluntary time from the Friends’ voluntary fundraisers, the $2.4 million target was met.

The new Dunstan Hospital was officially opened on 4 November 2005.

Since opening, The Friends of Dunstan Hospital has continued its extraordinary fundraising efforts.  The hospital site is nearly completely landscaped and old buildings have been demolished to allow for better staff parking and hospital access.

Shirley Alabaster, who is still on The Friends committee, says although the new hospital is now operating, all the needs that The Friends group was set up to assist with are still there.

“We still have constant requests for upgrading equipment and buying new equipment, so I think The Friends will be raising money for the hospital forever,” says Shirley.

Recently The Friends raised funds to purchase a Doppler machine for the District Nurses to use, which allows people with certain health issues to be treated in their own homes.  Shirley says having such equipment is very important in their district, which is geographically widespread and has a large population of older people.

All the equipment The Friends purchase is deeded to Central Otago Health (Inc), which owns all the assets of the hospital on behalf of the community, ensuring these community-fundraised assets will forever stay in community hands.

And it is the community which is to thank for the Friends’ success.  The Friends of Dunstan Hospital Chairperson Suzette Battrick says many community groups and organisations run events and activities to raise funds for The Friends of Dunstan Hospital.

“The local community always generously supports The Friends of Dunstan Hospital and for that we are very grateful,” says Suzette.

A major achievement for The Friends in recent years has been the establishment of an education fund, which was a result of a large bequest left to The Friends.

The Morris and Claire Rabbit Education Fund provides money to assist hospital staff with their education.  Applications are called for twice a year and so far four Dunstan Hospital staff have received funding to continue their education.

“We are very excited about the Education Fund as it helps increase the knowledge and improve the abilities of those working at our hospital while also attracting potential staff to the Hospital.

“At a country hospital like this people can feel pretty isolated and this is a great chance for staff to get out and mix with other people, with the expectation that they will return to the hospital so we can benefit from the skills they gained,” says Shirley Alabaster.

Shirley says the success at the TrustPower National Community Awards was a great achievement for The Friends of Dunstan Hospital, from which the volunteers drew a tremendous feeling of pride and satisfaction.

The Friends’ success at the TrustPower Community Awards has also helped the group financially.

“Each year we send out a newsletter, our financial statement and a donation slip, and in the few years after our win at the TrustPower Community Awards the donations markedly increased,” says Shirley.

There has always been a tremendous amount of community support for The Friends of Dunstan Hospital.  When opening the Hospital in 2005 the then chairman of the Otago District Health Board Richard Thomson said “It’s our building, but it’s your hospital.”

That sentiment still runs strong in the Central Otago community today.

For more information about The Friends of Dunstan Hospital please contact Friends chairperson Suzette Battrick on 03 448 7095 or email stephenbattrick@xtra.co.nz .