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Hospital staff tour new Emergency DepartmentHealth Waikato chief operating officer Jan Adams took a closer look inside Waikato Hospital’s new Emergency The new ED and acute services block above, currently under construction outside the existing department and old main entrance, will open in 2011. The two levels above ED will hold 100 beds for the hospital’s general medicine and respiratory wards, and a medical assessment and planning unit for the less acute ED cases. Mrs Adams said the tour went well and she is looking forward to the finished product. “The new ED certainly seems to be taking shape and it was great to see the progress to date. “It’s always good to see plans turn into reality,” she said. Mrs Adams said the new building would not only provide more space and brand new facilities but also result in service improvements. “By moving the respiratory and general medicine wards above ED we are effectively keeping acute cases at the front door and allowing senior staff to stay there too. “The new unit above ED will remove the less acute general medicine cases from the busy department, reducing wait times and allowing more patients to be seen by a doctor sooner,” she said. The changes would help the hospital meet the Ministry of Health’s six-hour ED waiting time target. Construction of the $40 million acute services block is part of Waikato DHB’s $300 million Building Programme project. The project has also been responsible for the new 18-level carpark building, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and refurbishment of the hospital’s delivery suite. Next year work will start on the $118 million Waikato Clinical Centre, a new building that will link directly onto the carpark building and house all day procedures including clinics, the same day admissions unit and additional theatres. For more information about the project visit www.waikatodhb.govt.nz/SCR. ENDS Date: 27 July 2009 Note: Hi-res copies of the photos above are available, see contact details below. Contact: Ashleigh Peek |
Department on Friday.
