Pressure At Waikato Hospital Eased Overnight
Pressure at Waikato Hospital eased overnight with no major trauma cases reported and fewer visits to the Emergency
Department than predicted by the hospital incident management team.
At 6.30am the hospital had 380 patients, including a baby boy born just after midnight. Several patients were expected
to spend time at home with families before returning later in the day. The hospital's projected occupancy through the
day is 312 patients.
At 6.30am there were 12 patients in Emergency Department compared with 40 at 2pm yesterday which prompted Waikato
Hospital group manager Hayley McConnell to remind people the department was for emergencies only and that local medical
centres were open for less urgent cases.
Patients and visitors will tuck into a Christmas Day lunch of lamb with mint sauce and at dinner have a choice of cold
ham off the bone, crumbed fish or canelloni. Dessert is pavlova or fresh fruit salad.
ENDS