The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

ALTHOUGH nearly complete, the multi-million dollar Critical Care Block at the Princess Margaret Hospital is facing staffing challenges, according to Public Hospitals Authority Board Chairman Frank Smith yesterday.

The opening of the facility has since last year been repeatedly delayed, but Mr Smith said officials are working assiduously to get the block ready for patient use and up to world class standards.

He said a date for full operation has not been set, but it is estimated that the opening will be delayed for another few months before taxpayers reap the benefits of the new Block.

“We are moving (toward ensuring that all of the operating theatres will be used),” Mr Smith said, “When you are talking about staffing the Critical Care Block and talking about the theatres being fully operational, we are talking about a full staff complement and, of course, when you are talking about the surgical ability that we are talking about for the critical care block, we are going to need a lot of properly trained staff and qualified staff.”

Mr Smith said officials have for months been heavily focused on ensuring that when the Critical Care Block does open there are minimal hiccups.

“The bottom line is that it is a medical facility so everything has to be spot on. Of course you know that the construction standards are a lot higher when you talking about a medical facility versus when you are talking just about a building that is going to be used for office space or any other type general purpose building.

“This is a medical health care facility so you are talking about sterile environments, you are talking about compartmentalising, you are talking about back flow in terms of airflow and air-conditioning. All systems have to be tested. Once we get going we don’t want to have any challenges unforeseen, so we keep running through the drills over and over.”

Construction on the 66,000 square foot facility began in November 2011. It houses 20 private ICU rooms, 18 recovery beds, a central sterile department, new lab facilities, administrative facilities and a new main entrance, which is disability friendly. It has been estimated that the Block will cost taxpayers around $100 million.

The government has said the block will improve access to critical care beds for adults and infants, and reduce waiting times for surgery. Other benefits include better surgical results and the quality of care through the use of modern medical and information technology. An enhanced diagnostic capacity and improved administrative offices are also expected.