Project Maunga receives TSB Community Trust's largest ever grant

The TSB Community Trust makes its largest grant ever in the year the Trust celebrates its 25th anniversary.

The Trust has granted $4.5 million to the Taranaki District Health Board for the new children’s ward and an advanced nurse call system, all components of Project Maunga.

Trust Chair Hayden Wano said “It is fitting to make a gift of this magnitude to our community the year we celebrate our 25th anniversary.”

“A hospital admission can be a traumatic experience for all involved and anything that will ease that and make the experience more comfortable is invaluable. The new Children’s Ward will provide an environment that has aspects to make both the child’s and the whanau’s experience less stressful.”

The Trust is also supporting an advanced nurse call system that will allow the patient to communicate directly with their nurse, this will aid in the staffs ability to respond to the needs of the patient.

“This grant is truly intergenerational; it will not only support the health of our children today but also for future generations to come,” he said.

Taranaki DHB Chief Executive Tony Foulkes said on behalf of the DHB, our future parents and their whanau we all say a huge thank you to the TSB Community Trust.

“It is marvellous to think that through this generous gift the children and whole community will benefit for generations to come,” he said.

There are 26,000 children under 16 years in Taranaki who are potential users of the service. “Most children seen in the ward are connected with just about every person in Taranaki – this is genuinely a real investment in the future of the whole community.”

“Project Maunga has been greatly influenced by local Taranaki people from design through to construction. Everyone involved in the hospital is really excited about the devolvement and this news will be a further boost.”

In appreciation of the large support from the Trust the DHB had chosen to always refer to the Children’s Ward at Taranaki Base Hospital as the TSB Children’s Ward.

“The Trust was particularly interested in assisting all children across Taranaki, now and into the future, so the District Health Board resolved it would be apt to name the ward appropriately,” said Mr Foulkes.

“We want to make every patient’s experience, especially children and their families better than before and we need to work in partnership with the whole community to make this happen.”

There will be a photo opportunity on Friday 12 April at 3pm with some Children’s wards patients to be in the new nearly completed children’s ward. Media please meet at the main entrance to Taranaki Base Hospital to be kitted out in hard hats and vests etc.

Last updated: Friday, April 12, 2013