Major investment in refurbishing operating theatres

Major investment in refurbishing operating theatres

A major refurbishment of four operating theatres at North Shore Hospital will deliver state-of-the-art facilities for patients undergoing surgical procedures.

The refurbishment programme will increase the floor size of theatres to better-accommodate the modern equipment and technology required to perform an expanding range of complex surgeries.

“This is another investment in providing the very best care to the people of the Waitemata district, from Rodney to West Auckland,” said Dr Dale Bramley, Waitemata DHB Chief Executive.

“The range of complex surgeries we now provide at North Shore – and the machinery required to support these procedures – has seen us pushing the limits of what is possible with our existing theatres.

“Once this refurbishment is complete, the theatres will be up-to-date with the latest international standards that will, in turn, improve our surgical workflow.

“Staff working in our operating theatres have done a tremendous job to ensure more patients are receiving timely access to the care they need.

“These upgrades will create a better ergonomic working environment and make it easier for our staff to keep providing care to the highest standards.”

As well as increasing the size of the theatres, the works will include upgrades to critical infrastructure such as air conditioning, scrub bays and electricity distribution systems.

Construction work is expected to start in late February 2015 and will take up to 18 months to complete. One theatre will be upgraded at a time to ensure patients continue to have access to acute and elective procedures.

The theatre refurbishment is in addition to other recent improvement projects aimed at ensuring Waitemata patients receive the best care:

• A 15-bed gynaecology ward to open at North Shore Hospital in mid-2015 – Waitemata DHB’s first-ever dedicated women’s ward

• A new MRI suite opened in July at North Shore Hospital

• A significant expansion of Waitakere Hospital’s emergency department

• The refurbishment of Waitakere Hospital’s maternity unit

• Faster scans with a new CT scanner at North Shore Hospital

• A redevelopment of the North Shore Hospital seeing the addition of a third floor, including a new chapel

• A 46-bed mental health facility He Puna Waiora on the North Shore Hospital site due for completion in early 2015

• The opening of ophthalmology services at Waitakere Hospital

• A 40-bed state-of-the-art Elective Surgery Centre at North Shore Hospital

• A new emergency department and Assessment & Diagnostic Unit at North Shore Hospital

• Waitakere Hospital’s new endoscopy suite – Waitemata DHB’s fourth

• An expanded paediatric unit at Waitakere Hospital, with 10 additional beds

• An 18-station community dialysis facility in Mairangi Bay

ENDS

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