Thursday 1 October 2009
Main Rotorua Hospital and ED entrance has moved
The Rotorua Hospital and Emergency Department entrance has been relocated to the Outpatients entrance in the Bridgman South Building overlooking Kuirau Park.
The shift was made this morning, with staff physically moving into a new Emergency Department reception and waiting area, just by the existing Emergency Department.
Where the former main hospital entrance was located, will become a construction zone in the coming weeks, as contractors move on to the site. Huge excavation of the ground in front of the former front entrance will take place, in the lead up to construction starting.
The $83 million Rotorua Hospital redevelopment will see the Emergency Department expanded from 15 cubicles to 32. A long street will connect the existing Clinical Services Building, with the expanded ED, to a new three-level inpatient building that comprises:
• A ground-floor ambulatory centre to house the range of specialist outpatient clinic services, some diagnostic services and treatment services, including chemotherapy and physiotherapy.
• New surgical floor that will eventually house the surgical and orthopaedic units, on the first floor.
• New Intensive Care Unit, Coronary Care Unit, and Medical Units on the top floor.
Carparking areas have changed so that hospital patients and visitors can park in the areas nearer the relocated entrance. There is also limited parking for ED patients in the area just outside the Bridgman South building.
The Rotorua Hospital redevelopment will last two years, with the $6 million redevelopment of Taupo Hospital scheduled for 2012. The hospitals redevelopment is the culmination of years of planning after reviews and reports since 2001 identified compelling reasons for Lakes DHB to improve service delivery from reconfigured facilities.
Prayers were held prior to the closing of the main entrance this morning, followed a blessing of the relocated main hospital entrance and a walkthrough the new hospital route to the refurbished Emergency Department reception and waiting area. |
