The ACT Government is about to embark on a $23 million expansion of the emergency department at the Canberra Hospital.
The department has been struggling to cope with the number of patients for some time and has been averaging more than 90 per cent occupancy.
In the last financial year it treated more than 70,000 people.
Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said a major rebuild of the entire hospital was on the cards for the coming years, but an short-term solution was required for the emergency department.
“This is the interim solution to provide an extra 12 beds through the emergency department,” she said.
“(It will) improve the resuscitation bays and provide additional space… for mental health patients.”
Patients warned to expect increased noise, vibration
The revamp will also include up to nine additional acute beds for patients with severe conditions and more beds for patients with less serious problems.
The Emergency Management Unit providing care for short-term patients will be expanded, as will the number of ambulance bays.
It is hoped a change to layout of the department will lead to a reduction in waiting times.
The project will take about 18 months and the department will remain open throughout construction.
Ms Gallagher said it would be a difficult project to manage, but the work would be completed as quickly as possible.
“There will be about six stages, the first of which will be some clip-ons to the existing emergency department to allow us to expand before we take over space in the current emergency department,” she said,
“But it will be a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week construction job as well, so we’re just going to pull out all stops to get it done as quickly as possible.”
Patients, staff and visitors have been advised to expect increased noise and vibration from construction work.