1961 - 1980

A striking feature of the 1960s was the development of many new specialities and services. The first ICU opened in August 1964. The first cardiopulmonary bypass operation was performed in December 1964. The Neurosurgery Unit was opened in January 1965 with the appointment of Mr Anthony James.

A Gastroenterology service was established with the appointment of Dr Brian Scobie. The Metabolic Unit and Endocrinology Services were established (Dr Kenneth North) as was Respiratory Physiology (Dr Trevor Gebbie) and Rheumatology (Dr Moore Tweed). With the appointment of Dr Peter Leslie in 1963, Cardiological Services rapidly expanded, and the first Coronary Care Unit was opened in 1967. A full-time Psychiatrist was appointed in 1967 (Dr Gilmour McLachlan).

That same year, the Renal Unit was established (Dr Bruce Morrison) and the first renal transplant operation occurred in April 1969. The decade concluded with the establishment of the Nuclear Medicine Department in 1970 (Dr Joseph Wallace).

These new services and expansion of existing services resulted in demand for more beds and new facilities. Coupled with the expanded clinical services, there was, during the mid-1960s, a push to establish a Third Medical School in Wellington. By the early 1970s, the decision was taken to establish in Wellington a Clinical School of the Otago Medical Faculty. A major new building programme was embarked upon for both the expanded clinical needs and the new teaching facility. The 1970s saw the establishment of new Academic Departments and the majority of the medical staff appointed to these held joint appointments within the hospital service. The first intake of fourth-year medical students arrived at the beginning of 1977.