Waitakere Hospital opens new surgical unit

Waitakere Hospital opens new surgical unit

Waitakere Hospital is taking advantage of the quiet holiday season to move its existing day surgery and Caesarean operating theatres into a new surgical unit facility.

Getting ready: Waitakere Hospital theatre staff busy setting up one the new operating theatres. From left: Kaaren Cordukes, Bryan Veloso, Elizabeth Bryant.

Located in the new hospital wing, the unit is part of the $60 million redevelopment of the hospital.

Moving with the operating theatres are the hospital’s endoscopy unit and CSSD (Central Sterile Supply Department).

The moves include opening new recovery and pre-op areas, staff areas and a conference room.

Waitakere Hospital general manager Rachel Haggerty says the new surgical unit is a major improvement.

“Previously our day surgery and endoscopy unit were run from an old part of the original maternity hospital, while our Caesarean theatre was located in the maternity unit on the opposite side of the hospital site.

“Our new surgical unit will bring all our surgical services together into one purpose-built facility. It has also been designed to maximise patient flows by being close to our maternity unit, wards and radiology department.

“It’s a huge improvement – not only for patients, but also for staff who will have a modern, spacious and pleasant working environment.”

Ms Haggerty says the hospital will initially open two operating theatres and a procedure room in the new unit. Another two theatres and a second procedure room will be commissioned in early 2005.

“Although we’re opening a new surgical unit, we will continue providing our current level of day surgery procedures. We will start doing extra procedures when the hospital fully opens in November.

The Caesarean theatre will be up and running from January 8, while the day surgery theatre and endoscopy procedure room will start up on January 19.

Access to the new surgical unit is via the hospital’s new main entrance.

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