Saturday 16 February 2008

Those NSW North Coast Area Health Service 'surge' beds again

ABC News reported that nurses met with the North Coast Area Health Service (NCAHS) yesterday to "clarify implementation of a 'surge bed' plan."
New Auditor-General's findings show that service did not meet admission benchmarks last year.
"Fewer than 80 per cent of patients needing a bed were admitted within eight hours of seeing a doctor or nurse.
The union's general secretary, Judith Kiejda, says the figures make it hard for the health service to justify the conversion of 86 acute beds to surge beds."
It seems that NCAHS CEO Chris Crawford had some explaining to do.
While Mr. Crawford is in explanation mode perhaps he will explain to the Yamba community why it hasn't yet been approved for a HealthOne facility. The actual need was identified years ago.

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