The community is now being serviced by a new and bigger temporary emergency department at Wonthaggi Hospital, a much-improved space from the very small and old ED which is simply too small to manage the COVID and Summer surge.
Last Thursday, our Armitage and Main Emergency Departments came together, and all of Bass Coast Health’s emergency services are now provided from Armitage House.
The new Armitage Emergency Department can treat more patients and with greater privacy. The facility offers 23 treatment spaces that are more spacious than the tight six cubicles in the emergency department within the Hospital. All treatment areas have doors and there are also single rooms for isolation.
With the COVID pandemic still underway in our community, Bass Coast Health is aware of the community’s concerns about the virus, and this solution ensures that everyone who needs care can be treated in the one space with a skilled team able to isolate and segregate patients who may be infectious.
“In addition to having separate treatments rooms that are separated from the rest of the emergency department, we provide comprehensive personal protective equipment for not only our staff but also our patients, and we are really careful about how we move patients through the department,” Bass Coast Health CEO Jan Child said.
“We are able to zone patients so they are not exposed to any potential risks and we are able to use rapid antigen testing to identify people at risk of COVID.
“We are so blessed to be able to use Armitage House in this way. It’s a standalone building that was to be used for our Sub-Acute services, but its recent multi-million dollar renovation meant that it was well timed to care for our ED patients during peak demand times. Armitage House is easy to clean, is able to treat more people and will help us make sure our skilled ED team can manage both COVID and non-COVID patients in a safe way.”
Not only is the Armitage Emergency Department equipped with the latest medical equipment, but it also offers patients a spacious waiting room overlooking a lovely garden that offers a calming environment.
Ms Child thanked Emergency Department staff for their hard work, dedication and patience while not only transitioning to Armitage but also during each and every shift.
“Our staff are our greatest asset at Bass Coast Health and the Emergency team is an example of that. They have been working long shifts for over 20 months in masks, gowns and eye wear, and while this gives them protection, it also makes their work hot and uncomfortable,” Ms Child said.
“They are a special group of people doing special work for our community in times of emergency and crisis.”
Patients wishing to access Armitage Emergency Department can do so by entering the hospital via Baillieu Street West, where they can stop at the Concierge Station and be directed where to go.