Hawke’s Bay Hospital’s Post Anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU) team is set to move into their new home at the end of this month.
The newly expanded PACU was blessed by Pou Whirinaki Mana Hazel from Te Whatu Ora – Hawke’s Bay last week.
Part of the Surgical Services Expansion project (SSEP), PACU will provide additional capacity to the hospital so it can support an eighth operating theatre, due to be complete this coming summer.
PACU is a critical care unit where patients are closely monitored in the immediate post-operative phase, following a general or local anaesthetic or sedation.
The expansion is part of upgrading and expanding Hawke’s Bay Hospital’s surgical services to increase the number of public surgeries the hospital undertakes each year and improve patient experience.
The upgrade includes- building an additional theatre, taking the total number of operating theatres to eight, an upgraded reception and waiting area with a new whānau room, building-dedicated pharmacy and specimen handling rooms, seismic upgrades of the theatre block to ensure it is immediately operational in the event of an earthquake or other disaster.
The renovations will improve patient flow through theatre, from the time of pre-admission through to discharge, and the efficiency of operations through the layout of pre- and post-operative areas.
The refurbishment and modifications to the Perioperative Unit’s inwards goods, medical records reception and waiting areas is set to be completed late this year.
Theatre eight construction is expected to be completed by end of 2023.
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