Hospital staff tour new Emergency Department

Health Waikato chief operating officer Jan Adams took a closer look
inside Waikato Hospital's new Emergency Department on Friday.

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 Service and Campus Redevelopment (SCR) 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