Major expansion works to be undertaken at the Canberra Hospital emergency department will refurbish the busy frontline of the health system and deliver more beds while improving emergency services, Chief Minister and Minister for Health Katy Gallagher said today.
“Investment in health infrastructure is one of the ACT Government’s highest priorities and this $23m expansion of the emergency department at the Canberra Hospital is the latest strategy to help deal with increasing presentation numbers to our EDs,” the Chief Minister said.
“The Canberra Hospital emergency department is the Canberra Region’s major trauma centre, and treated more than 70,000 patients over the 2013-14 financial year, the highest ever recorded for a single year.”
When complete with the additional floor area in the order of one thousand square metres, the new ED will also include:
- Up to nine additional acute beds for patients with severe conditions;
- Additional beds or cubicles for patients with less severe problems;
- An expanded Emergency Management Unit (EMU) that provides care for short-term patients;
- A new and larger mental health assessment unit;
- An increase in the number of ambulance bays;
- An improved layout that will create efficiencies leading to an expected reduction in waiting
times; and - The integration of the paediatrics streaming function which transfers children (and
parents/carers) to a dedicated waiting and then treatment area for young people.
“Senior staff that work at the emergency department have been integral in the development of these expansion plans which will help the way the department functions,” the Chief Minister said.
“We are listening to their ideas and responding with this investment which will provide up to 12 new beds and many other benefits including two additional resuscitation bays, where the most seriously ill patients receive treatment.”
This expansion is part of the Health and Infrastructure Program (HIP) which is investing in Canberra’s health by changing how and where patients are cared for.
Design for the works is now underway. The project will be delivered via a multi-staged construction plan that will allow continuous operation of ED with new areas to open progressively throughout the 18 months expected building time.
The contractor has been instructed to minimise disruption, however patients, staff and visitors should expect increased noise and vibration as these essential works take place.
The works are expected to create more than 100 construction jobs.
(Katy Gallagher Media Release)
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