Two New Geriatric Wards Planned

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31249, 22 December 1966, Page 9

Two New Geriatric Wards Planned

Two 34-bed wards and an occupational therapy department for the elderly would be built at Princess Margaret Hospital,. reported the chairman (Dr L. C. L. Averill) to yesterday’s meeting of the North Canterbury 7 Hospital Board.

They would be west of the main hospital building and linked with it, he said in a comprehensive survey of the board’s works programme.

It had previously been intended to build the new geriatric unit at Coronation Hospital, Dr. Averill said.

“This will be a new and major development in geriatric care in this area, following the appointment of a geriatric physician,” he said. The wards, for which approval to prepare sketch plans had been granted, would be based on a plan developed by architects to the Auckland Hospital Board in close collaboration with the board’s geriatrician. “They provide for five sixbed and four single rooms, large dining lounge and recreation areas, as well as the usual ward facilities. They will represent a modem concept in geriatric ward design,” the chairman said. The present temporary occupational therapy department was inadequate for the patient load, which included a heavy psychiatric demand. No provision for such a department had been made in the original design, and there was opportunity to design a modem and functional unit which was urgently needed. Dr. Averill said planning for the proposed accident and emergency department, “a long awaited and very necessary improvement to Christchurch Hospital,” was nearly at the stage when work could begin.

Tenders had been called •nd submitted to the Health Department for approval to accept.

There had, however, been a further delay in the preparation of schedules of quantities for mechanical services, and tenders for this section could not now be called until mid-January.

“The facilities provided in the new department include a new two-vehicle ambulance bay on the west side of the building, a resusitation ward, new examination and treatment cubicles and rooms, a minor theatre, entrance hall, new orderlies’ quarters, and new offices," said Dr. Averill. Working drawings for the new ward block and clinical services block were well ad-

vanced, and it was hoped tenders could be called towards the end of next year. The chairman said that to enable additional space to be obtained for the expansion of

the pathology department, medical library and school of nursing—all of which were suffering from a serious shortage of space—it was proposed to move the dental department to a new building to be constructed in St. Asaph street. The area previously occupied by the engineering maintenance workshops would be renovated for the splint department. Present old premises would be demolished when the new clinical services block was built.

The upper floor of the old laundry building would be used for the surgical boot section, and on the ground floor would be patients’ reception and fitting rooms, offices and the splint section. The new quarters would provide much better conditions.

Planning would begin soon for two new theatres and ancillary room for Essex Hospital, as well as other improvements.

Dr. Averill said it was proposed that residents of Teresa Green Home be transferred to Lyndhurst Hospital. Although much renovation work had been done, there had been delay in planning and obtaining approval for alterations and improvements arising from the change of function.

Although the board had provided in the plan for a fire sprinkler system, the department had ruled that a fire detection system, in conjunction with fire hose reels, would be sufficient.

It was hoped that approval to undertake this work would be obtained soon.

Helicopters Not Needed

The use of helicopters to transport urgent hospital cases from country areas to the main city hospitals is unlikely. The North Canterbury Hospital Board felt that sufficient air transport was available in the area to cope with normal needs, but that the matter could be reviewed if helicopters were stationed by the R.N.Z.A.F. at Wigram, reported the board’s institutions committee.