Beds exit

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 323, 13 February 1990, Page 3

Beds exit

Waimarino Hospital bccame the Waimarino Community Health Centre Monday last week. Staff spent the moming shifting out beds and excess furniture. Beds available have been reduced from 18 to nine, with three in the maternity wing which remains much as it was. Staff redundancies in the change where for three nurse aides, a cook and a cleaner. Changes to the layout in the building include moving the emergency room to where the children's ward was located, which centre manager Eve Rush says will mean quicker and easier access in times of an emergency, with the room being opposite the front door. Four rooms will accommodated the six general beds, with the number being shifted to suit ihe patients being cared for at the time. Three rooms near the X Ray department

(which does not change) will become the physiotherapists territory. These rooms will include an office and a gym with the exercise equipment shifted out of its previous location in the hall. With the changes there are less staff in the centre but more out

in the community. A district nurse is now available seven days a week. Helen Fahey is the full-time district nurse, Sonia Robb is part time and Barbara Dempsey is relief. Maori community liaison worker is Lorna Haami, based in the Waimarino.