A $3 million redevelopment of the emergency department at Casino and District Memorial Hospital is set to benefit residents from the town and surrounding areas.
Federal health minister Tanya Plibersek and federal member for Page, Janelle Saffin, announced the funding injection yesterday.
Ms Plibersek said at Casino Hospital, where she made the announcement, that she saw firsthand the pressing need for an upgrade of the emergency department when she visited the hospital with Janelle Saffin in October last year.
‘I was so impressed by the hard-working staff at Casino hospital, and this redeveloped emergency department will mean they have facilities that match their dedication.’
Ms Saffin said, ‘once Tanya had seen the facility and had a good opportunity to talk to the staff, I was then able to continue to lobby and detail all the things that needed to be done to bring this facility up to the national standard’.
Ms Plibersek said, ‘without Janelle’s tireless lobbying efforts this commitment would not have been made’.
The upgrade will include: four new treatment bays; two new resuscitation bays; a redesigned ambulance entry area; a multifunctional Safe Assessment Room; a new triage area; a relocated waiting area; piped medical gases to resuscitation and observation bays; a dedicated emergency department staff room; and enhanced security for the emergency department.
