Rotorua father Te Kawana Tapara raised concerns about water leaks at Rotorua Hospital's Special Care Baby Unit.
Rotorua Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) refurbishment will begin in October after reports of “severe” and “ongoing” water leaks since December 2024, newly released documents show.
Te Kawana Tapara, the father of a premature baby staying in the SCBU in February, publicly raised the alarm about rainwater leaks.
Documents released to the Rotorua Daily Post under the Official Information Act show eight incidents involving rainwater leaks in the SCBU had been logged by Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora since December 2024, including Tapara’s.
In February, Health NZ said safety was its top priority and it had just approved a “significant refurbishment” of the SCBU.
A separate project to repair the unit’s roof was underway.
In the official information request response, Health NZ head of government services Sasha Wood said the first incident logged about the SCBU roof leaking was in December 2024 during heavy rain, caused by a blocked internal gutter.
Last year, six incidents about SCBU leaks were logged in Health NZ’s Datix system.
An April 2025 incident showed three leaks were investigated and remedial maintenance was completed. Testing confirmed mould was clear.
Two June 2025 incidents reported a ceiling leak, wet equipment, and water on the floor.
In response, a roofer carried out work on the roof and remedial action to the internal gutter and overflow system was done.
This and “ongoing leaf clearance” should eliminate the issue, the Datix log said.
Two November 2025 incidents reported “ongoing” leaking in the SCBU office and staffroom, and “severe” leaks in the office staffroom and nursery.
In response, executive leadership were made aware of the issues and the site manager and clinical leadership met to discuss and implement safety and contingency planning.
A December 2025 incident reported leaking in the unit’s office ceiling.
Tapara’s report was logged in February this year for a “heavy rain leak” and “water dripping from electrical panel/plugs”.
In response, waterproofing repairs were done and the cause of the leak was identified as the air handling unit. A new unit was on order.
New roof costing was discussed, and a project manager was appointed.
A mitigation plan was created for relocating the unit in the event of further flooding/leaks, and a leadership meeting planned, to discuss additional remediation actions that could be done until refurbishment started.
Health NZ also obtained a quote and planned to scaffold the SCBU and place a plastic roof over the existing roof. Health and Safety was also reviewing the area, and air monitoring was underway for mould.
Other logged incidents in 2025 and 2026 included the air-conditioning not working, the fire alarm not sounding, and an issue with the main door lock.
Tapara said the Datix log showed Health NZ had “knowingly operated a facility with profound structural deficiencies” since December 2024.
“In February 2026, we were told our concerns were noted and that a ‘mitigation plan’ was in place."
Tapara, the Ex Novo Architects Limited managing director and disability support worker, said the documents revealed Health NZ’s “version of a mitigation plan” for water leaking on to electrical panels was to “look into putting a plastic sheet over the roof”.
He said his daughter, Amerah, was doing “absolutely amazing”.
However, her recovery should not have happened in an environment where electrical hazards were a “daily operational reality”.
Tapara said he had filed a complaint with the Health and Disability Commissioner “to ensure no other family has to risk their newborn’s safety in a compromised ward”.
A Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) spokesperson confirmed Tapara contacted them in February, primarily raising concerns about Rotorua Hospital’s building infrastructure.
“As infrastructure concerns are best dealt with by Health NZ, HDC encouraged the complainant to continue working with the district in this respect.”
In response to Tapara’s comments, Health NZ Lakes operations group director Alan Wilson said water ingress issues had been remedied through wrapping of the SCBU building until a “full refurbishment” of the SCBU occurred between October 2026 and April 2027.
“Other issues raised by the complainant at that time have also been addressed.
“The community can be assured that our newborn babies in Rotorua’s SCBU are being well cared for.”
In the documentation, Wood said there were two separate projects relating to the SCBU.
She said the unit’s roof repair was approved for funding in the 2025/26 capital plan and remediation work was being done.
Wood said the SCBU was now planned as a “priority project” for the 2026/27 financial year, with initial seed funding allocated to support scoping, design work, and the development of a business case needed to secure funding for refurbishment.
The proposed investment had been included in next year’s capital plan, which was progressing through approval processes.
Wood said construction was expected to start in October.
The refurbishment would address the roof structure and leaks. It would also address some “congestion issues”, provide a new isolation roof for babies that may be immune-compromised or infectious, and provide a space for palliative care.
Wood said the SCBU would relocate to a 24-bed, “appropriately equipped”, general inpatient ward while the project was completed.
The construction budget was withheld due to commercial sensitivities.
The refurbished unit was scheduled to open in May 2027.
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and the Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.