Bed pressures at RDH
Statement from Director of Medical Services, Royal Darwin Hospital, Dr Alison Maclean.
Royal Darwin Hospital is currently experiencing another peak in bed demand.
The hospital is currently over census, which means it is over capacity.
Royal Darwin Hospital has capacity management plans in place which are currently being enacted.
The peak in demand for emergency care has been increasing over the past month and ED staff have been actively managing this by following appropriate procedures.
Patient safety is a priority and RDH will continue to provide the best patient centred care possible in these periods of high demand.
Our staff are working exceptionally hard to move patients out of the Emergency Department and into wards and overflow areas.
All available staff are assisting with additional capacity in the Lorraine Brennan Centre and Hospital in the Home service and our most senior doctors are leading ward rounds to enable efficient decision making around discharges.
All staff are working at full capacity and we are doing everything we can to ensure patients who need care are able to receive safe care.
Elective surgery lists have been reviewed and non-urgent procedures will be postponed, all affected patients will be notified by hospital staff as soon as possible.
We urge people who have non-emergency health needs to see their GP as soon as possible to try to avoid becoming acutely unwell.
For emergencies, please call Triple 0 or go to the Emergency Department.
We acknowledge the distress that patients feel during these peak times and we apologise to those patients affected. The Top End Health Service assures the public that staff are working extremely hard to alleviate the pressure in ED and patients will be moved to appropriate wards when it is safe and acceptable to do so.
We thank our community for supporting us and appreciate their understanding and patience during these challenging times.
Further updates will be provided tomorrow morning.
Media contact: Rickie Abraham 0419 818 414