Waikato University pressing on with med school plan
The Otago Daily Times has obtained a document advertising the position of an "independent commissioning agent" for the project.
Interested parties have until the end of the month to submit applications, and a decision is due to made before July 4.
"It is important to note that this procurement exercise is being conducted in parallel to the approval of the detailed business case being considered by government for a proposed medical school," the document said.
"As such, there is no commitment that this contract will be awarded should the business case not be approved."
A firm preference is placed on those with previous experience within the sector.
"We are seeking respondents that have demonstrable experience in successfully delivering independent commissioning agent services on projects with a similar nature to ensure a seamless set-up and handover of the building to the university."
The role would last about two and a-half years, depending on how long the first stage took to complete.
It does not mention a salary band.
There was also a outlay plan for stage 1 of the "division of health" precinct, which would provide teaching and learning facilities for the proposed new medical school and support the division's existing programmes in nursing, midwifery and pharmacy.
"The division is in a strong growth phase and has more than 1000 equivalent fulltime students in these existing programmes," a Waikato University spokeswoman said.
Green MP Francisco Hernandez said there was a level of desperation to these documents.
"Aotearoa desperately needs more doctors and medical professionals, but unfortunately this government is just tinkering around the issue while at its core the problem gets worse.
"The Health Minister should do the right thing and kill off this zombie project once and for all rather than keeping it in limbo.
"Setting up a new medical school at a university with no track record of delivering medical graduates and which will require substantial levels of capital investment is a bad use of time and resources."
The Waikato Medical School proposal has proved controversial — the existing medical schools at Otago and Auckland Universities argue they can deliver more medical school students more cheaply and efficiently.
National campaigned on the third medical school at the 2023 election, but Act New Zealand made it part of its coalition agreement it would not like the project to go ahead without a detailed cost-benefit analysis.
When asked about progress on the project, and when the government would likely announce an outcome, Health Minister Simeon Brown reiterated the proposal remained under "active consideration".
This is despite the fact no extra money exists in the Budget for the project for this year.
Documentation from Treasury, the Tertiary Education Commission and Ministry of Education have all expressed concern about the cost of the project, the logistical hurdles in establishing it and the speed at which the government hoped to complete it.
An Otago University spokeswoman said ministers had been clear both before and after the Budget no final decisions had been taken on the proposal for a third medical school.
"Already this year we have taken 10 more domestic students, and we will take another 10 students next year.
"Otago is able to immediately increase our medical intake from 323 to 348 students, raising it to 450 from 2027.
"This increase in students would not require any new capital funding as we would largely reconfigure use of existing facilities and resources."
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