Starship Children's Health

Starship Children's Health, opened in 1991, is one of the first purpose-built children's hospitals in New Zealand, and the largest such facility in the country. While a separate facility, it is located on the same Grafton-area grounds of Auckland City Hospital in Auckland City and adjacent to the Auckland Medical School.Starship Children's Health treats over 86,000 patients a year (2005/2006 financial year), around a quarter of them inpatients. Starship is also a major medical teaching centre, leading New Zealand in paediatric training and research. The hospital received the 2005 New Zealand Health Innovations Awards for its medication safety programs.FacilitiesCharacterThe main Starship building opened on 18 November 1991 on the grounds of Auckland City Hospital. Its name was chosen to appeal to children and young people and to reflected the building's design. The building has a central atrium lit by natural light and designed to a rainforest theme with a playground. Each of its five levels is painted a different colour, with a symbolic meaning: Aqua for the Pacific Ocean; Orange for land; Blue for sky; Yellow for sunshine; and Pink for health.