Hawke’s Bay hospital postpones elective surgery

July 3, 2009

Hawke’s Bay hospital continues to postpone inpatient elective surgery

Some elective inpatient surgery will be postponed again next week, (July 6-10) at Hawke’s Bay Hospital Soldiers’ Memorial, as the number of patients needing treatment for acute respiratory illness continues.

Acting chief executive Warrck Frater said the hospital was continuing to experience a surge of patients with acute respiratory illness due to seasonal flu and Novel Influenza A (H1N1) 09 - Swine flu circulating in the community.

Mr Frater said there was continuing demand on Intensive Care services and a number of staff away due to sickness, which was adding to pressure on hospital services.

Patients booked for elective impatient surgery would be contacted and given a revised date as soon as possible, he said.

“At the moment we have no choice but to continue to postpone elective inpatient surgery and apologise to those patients who have been inconvenienced, but it is the only action we can take to relieve pressure.”

Surgery for cancer and high risk patients would go ahead as planned.

Patients with queries regarding planned elective inpatient surgery could call 0800 450 -113 for further information.

Mr Frater said visiting to A1 and ICU-High Dependency Unit would continue to be restricted to one visitor per patient, and visitors would be asked to use the hand sanitisers provided before entering and on leaving the ward, he said.

Visitors with cold or flu like symptoms are being asked not to visit patients to help prevent further infection, and all visitors to all wards are being asked to reduce their visiting as much as they can in an effort to help limit the spread of infection.

Children with respiratory illness would continue to be managed in the paediatric ward
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