New entrance to Palmerston North Hospital’s Emergency Department during refurbishment
21/03/2018
Public access to Palmerston North Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) will be temporarily made through the hospital’s main entrance from today, during an eight-week refurbishment to the ED.
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The existing entrance to the ED will be blocked-off and signage put in place to direct visitors to and through the hospital’s main entrance and then to the ED waiting area. Extra wheelchairs will be available to assist people if needed.
Every effort is being made to minimise disruption to the public, as well as hospital staff, during the work which is expected to be complete by mid-May.
In addition to creating a more welcoming reception and waiting area, the $2 million refurbishment will see triage rooms built to allow patients to be assessed by medical staff in private. There will also be improved facilities for relatives of critically-ill patients.
With the ED seeing anywhere between 110 and 160 patients per day, the flow of patients will be improved as a result of increased clinical space, helping to reduce waiting times and enhance the experience for patients and other visitors.
Palmerston North Hospital emergency department (ED) Clinical Director David Prisk and Associate Charge Nurse Janine Kereama outside the Hospital's main entrance which is now also the temporary entrance to ED.