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Despite being closed for more than a year for urgent repairs due to “significant health and safety risks,” the future of Franklin Memorial Hospital remains uncertain.
Dana Ralph-Smith, Health New Zealand acting group director operations for Counties Manukau, told the Franklin Times, “patient and staff safety is a top priority.”
She says the hospital was closed in August 2024 due to “structural, seismic and other issues identified with the building.
“Although there was the licence to operate, the building was deemed not fit for purpose as a healthcare facility due to significant health and safety risks.
“All residents were supported to move to another aged care facility, and all staff members were redeployed to other Health New Zealand Counties Manukau services.”
She says the future use of the building and the site is under active consideration, and details will be made public in due course.
Where has the money gone?
Meanwhile, on September 21, the Government announced a $100 million boost set aside from Budget 2025 for maintenance and refurbishments of hospitals across New Zealand.
It included 21 small-scale infrastructure projects, but Franklin Memorial Hospital missed out, despite lobbying by the local community for it to open again.
Tremayne Thompson is a candidate for the Franklin Local Board, Waiuku subdivision.
He says he has written to the Health Minister, Simeon Brown, twice but received “vague responses.”
“When the doors were shut in August 2024, the community was told this was a temporary closure for 12 to 18 months to allow for upgrades and safety works,” Thompson says.
“At no stage were residents told that permanent closure was being considered. More than a year later, no works have been carried out and the Minister of Health has now confirmed that the hospital is considered no longer fit for purpose.”
Thompson says Waiuku residents have poured decades of local fundraising into Franklin Memorial Hospital, and funding was identified for upgrades in 2024 and 2025 during the closure period.
“The community deserves to know where that money has gone and why no works have been delivered.
“Earlier this week, the Minister of Health announced $100 million dollars of hospital upgrades around the country. Greenlane Hospital was given money for new carparks, while Franklin has been left without even a plan. This raises serious questions about priorities,” Thompson says.
Brown told Thompson through written correspondence that on August 15, he met with representatives of the Waiuku Health Centre, along with the MP for Port Waikato, Andrew Bayly and the local Franklin Hospital Working Party.
The purpose of the meeting was to obtain a 10-year view of the health services required in the region.
A follow-up meeting is due in early October to discuss the information provided to attendees at that meeting. Both the August and October meetings have been coordinated by Bayly.
New Zealand’s first 10-year Health Infrastructure Plan was released in April 2025 by Health New Zealand.
