The National Referral Hospital Emergency Department renovation in progress

The much needed and awaited renovation of the National Referral Hospital (NRH) Emergency Department (ED) is long overdue and it is only recently that the renovation is taking place and in progress.

In view of the current civil work at the ED, the hospital management would like to kindly ask the public to be aware of the current work as this would affect patient flow as well as outpatients’ services at the ED and also to seek the support of the public to cooperate with the changes to the outpatient services.   

The renovation is needed as upon completion of the renovation, the NRH ED would now have an adequate workable space given the increased demand of outpatient services at the ED, improve patient care and improve efficiency in terms of workflow of the doctors and nurses attending the patients at the ED.

These changes upon completion of work, will also include separation of the outpatient or fast tracking from moderately sick and severely ill patients. There will be an increase to the number of resuscitation beds from three to five, and this is to allow better care of very critically ill patients as the emergency bay will be demarcated from the rest of the department flow.

It is also to improve Infection and Prevention Control (IPC) by removing old and filthy materials with dust and changing regular faulty ventilation systems such as air conditioning and fans to create proper ventilation and remove extra heat. Other Structural changes will include reflooring with standard hospital vinyl tiling (for IPC purposes). Change window frames and windows, change damaged doors, and close the exterior space currently OPD with half aluminium and glass with windows and mosquito nets. Open up solid walls, install glass windows for nursing stations, and convert two offices into two additional emergency beds.

The NRH receives about 94,000 visits per year by the sick patients annually, and 42% approximately 35,000 to 40,000 visits come through the Emergency Department alone. Beside the outpatient visits, 80-100 patients are admitted inside the emergency department either waiting to be reviewed by specialist doctors or waiting to be admitted into the ward.

The public are hereby asked to be aware that there will be some changes to the outpatient services temporarily whilst the refurbishment work is undertaken for the next few weeks. 

The first change is that people should know that there will be no outpatient services at the NRH OPD. If you develop a headache, feverish, diarrhoea or generalised body ache, go to a nearest clinic at Guadalcanal Provinces and HCC clinics. It’s essential that people who feel unwell must rest and get first line treatments as soon as possible beyond the end of the day, at the clinics. If you are able to afford, there are also private medical clinics that you could go to and be seen by a nurse and doctor.

People who have long term illnesses are hereby advised to always attend your clinical schedules regularly and get regular checks as prescribed by the specialist doctors. The usual referral clinics at the front of the hospital will continue in a different location as shown on the diagram below.

The NRH Management would like to further advise the public to be aware that the usual clinics are relocated temporarily.

The emergency entry and resuscitation is now relocated to the Referral Clinic and ENT clinics. This is next to the Pharmacy dispensary. There is a tent erected for the waiting area for patients.

Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) outpatient clinic services are relocated and operating at the dental caravan next to the medical ward.

The specialist consultation clinics are situated at the red building where the Chinese Acupuncture Clinic is situated at the eastern end of the hospital compound.

In support of the refurbishment work at the hospital, the HCC Health Division is also creating additional opening hours for its two main urban health centres at Kukum and Rove. Both clinics will open late every day to 10pm. Publics are advised to go to these clinics from 8 am to 10 pm every day.

The Good Samaritan Hospital on the Guadalcanal plains is also stepping up on its outpatient and admission capacity.

The NRH health awareness team will also be present at the hospital to inform the public on where the services are provided. Public is advised to take communication announcements through the PA system very seriously.

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MHMS