North Shore Hospital

North Shore Hopsital is a large hospital in Takapuna, North Shore City, serving the northern part of the Auckland area. It is located on Shakespeare Road near Lake Pupuke and is administered by the Waitemata District Health Board.

Facilities
The hospital provides up to 131 surgical treatment beds and up to 163 general medical treatment beds. It has nine operating theatre (one specialised in obstetric care), an emergency care centre, an intensive care (5 beds) centre and a coronary care (8 beds) as well as a maternity and a special care baby unit.

The hospital also provides endoscopy, radiology, pathology and anaesthetic services. Visiting specialists cover a number of further medical sub-disciplines. Two of the wards specialise in assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of older patients over 65 years of age.

Funding, Staffing
In 2007, North Shore Hospital has repeatedly reported 100% occupancy rates and difficulties in finding enough staff. This is alleged to be partly due to North Shore City's affluence, with the catchment area having some of the highest average incomes in New Zealand, as well as scoring high on other social indicators. As the District Health Board funding scheme distributes money based on these indicators, it has been claimed that it receives much less funding per population served than hospitals in other areas of the country.

The issues with staff shortages and overcrowding, repeatedly discussed in the press during the middle of 2007, have led two North Shore National MPs to inquire into the issue, noting that a 'crisis of confidence' had developed, which was generating more concern from locals 'than anything else in recent times'.