Dunstan Hospital Foundation Launches
As Central Otago and the Upper Clutha face mounting health-service inequities and rapid population growth, a new charitable trust has been launched to protect and expand the region’s publicly funded, but community owned, rural hospital.
The Dunstan Hospital Foundation Charitable Trust will help ensure that every person in Central Otago, the Upper Clutha and the Lakes District can access the best possible healthcare — when it’s needed, close to home.
“Everyone deserves quality healthcare, no matter where they live,” says Sir Sam Neill, Patron of the Foundation. “Dunstan Hospital has served this community for generations. This Foundation is about keeping that service strong, expanding what it offers, and making sure local care remains local.”
Dunstan Hospital receives public funding to deliver core services on behalf of the Government. However, funding is largely limited to day-to-day operational costs — not the facility upgrades, new equipment, or service expansions required to keep pace with population growth and medical innovation.
Rural Inequity Driving Urgent Change
Recent headlines have highlighted growing concern over health inequity in the region.
RNZ reported consent for a $300 million private surgical hospital in Wānaka, raising questions about access for non-elective and lower-income patients.
ODT and Lakes Weekly Bulletin outlined competing proposals for a “Queenstown solution”, while community groups described a “healthcare crisis for the Upper Clutha.”
Together these stories reveal the same pattern: private facilities may fill limited surgical niches, but they cannot replace 24/7 public medical care.
“Community fundraising bridges that gap,” explains Hayley Anderson, Chief Executive at Dunstan Hospital. “It allows us to move faster — upgrading facilities, expanding clinical capacity, and investing in technology that keeps care local and accessible.”
A Proven Model — Not a Replacement
Currently Health NZ is preparing advice to the Government regarding the future public health services to meet our rapidly growing population. While surgical capacity, to meet obstetric and other needs look likely, the role of Dunstan Hospital in providing urgent care, medical services, imaging and ambulatory care will continue to be needed.
Dunstan’s 24-hour medical and acute services will remain indispensable for decades.
“It makes sense to keep medical beds on both sides of the gorge,” says Hayley. “Dunstan already has a facility with capacity for cost-effective expansion, and we’re ready to grow strategically, including extending services to Wānaka.”
Hayley, says philanthropic support will make a tangible difference to patient outcomes:
Dr Jonathon Wills, Clinical Director, “Our hospital has always delivered high-quality care, but we’re at a turning point. This Foundation enables us to fund beyond the basics — to invest in facilities, technology, and clinical capacity that reflect what rural communities truly deserve.”
A Proven Model for Community-Led Rural Healthcare
Across New Zealand, rural hospitals are under increasing pressure to meet rising demand with limited funding. Dunstan Hospital offers a different story — a proven, community-owned model that shows how local leadership, innovation, and philanthropy can sustain and strengthen essential healthcare outside the main centers.
The Dunstan Hospital Foundation embodies this approach. Its vision — Elevated Excellence in Rural Healthcare — is about funding more than Government budgets will allow. More rural outreach clinics, staff wellbeing initiatives, enhanced medical student training that attracts the next generation of rural doctors, nurses and allied health staff.
“When the state couldn’t fund a CT scanner, our community made it happen,” says Hayley. “That one investment means faster diagnosis, less travel, and better outcomes for our patients. That’s the kind of impact the Foundation exists to continue.”
Initial projects are likely to include the redevelopment and expansion of the chemotherapy and infusion unit, upgrades to diagnostic technology, and digital tools that extend specialist care deeper into rural communities.
“This is about keeping care close to home,” says Warrick Deuchrass, Chair of Dunstan Hospital Foundation. “Every donation goes straight back into improving access, dignity, and innovation in the way rural healthcare is delivered.”
Launch Events
Public community events will be held across the region in early November
Community Launch Schedule:
Wānaka – Monday 3 November, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., Community Hub
Alexandra – Tuesday 4 November, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., Community House
Cromwell – Wednesday 5 November, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., The Gate
About the Dunstan Hospital Foundation
The Dunstan Hospital Foundation Charitable Trust works alongside Central Otago Health Services Ltd (COHSL) the community-owned operator of Dunstan Hospital to fund projects that enhance patient care, extend clinical reach, and future proof the hospital for generations to come.
We believe rural communities deserve more than the basics. We exist to fund beyond critical delivery, elevating what’s possible for rural health. When it’s needed, close to home. Funding the future of rural healthcare.