Lester Levy is hell bent on getting rid of the hurdles that are impeding North Shore Hospital from the path of progress. He says that it would require arduous efforts to drag the hospital out of its constipation phase.

Levy, a doctor-turned-manager-turned-institutional-fixit-figure says, "We are a hospital on the mend. It can't happen overnight. When I came here I defined the place as ready, aim, aim, aim. It talked about what it was going to do but it never did it".

Levy has the support of Health Minister, Tony Ryall and he seems to be in good light in the eyes of its 6000 employees.

It is speculated that the $50 million high-tech new emergency department, which is slated for launch in 18 months, will do a lot to improve its reputation.

Levy's board has got a stonework program that is on its way. North Shore will get a new 25-bed medical ward, while Waitakere Hospital will have a round-the-clock pediatric emergency division.

According to the new design, beds will not be put in corridors anymore.

It is said that more nurses will be seen around, and there are indications that medics would be interested in joining the hospital once again.