This Monday, Wellington Regional Hospital’s new High Dependency Unit (HDU) will open, significantly strengthening critical care services across our region.
The 12 bed unit is designed for patients who are seriously ill and require close monitoring, those who are too unwell for a standard ward but don’t need full intensive care.
With a specialist nurse to patient ratio of 1:2 the HDU provides expert care for complex medical needs. In the event of a mass casualty emergency, it can even operate as an overflow ICU, equipped with ventilators to support critically ill patients.
By expanding critical care capacity the HDU will help to relieve pressure on the Emergency Department and ICU and improve hospital flow, making sure more people get the treatment they need, when they need it.
Thanks to your generosity, every bed in the HDU will have a ceiling mounted in-room television. While this may seem like a small touch, it plays a vital role in keeping alert patients comfortable and distracted, reducing anxiety and helping prevent them from moving when they shouldn’t.
Your support is making a real impact, ensuring that when people in our community need urgent care, they receive it in the best possible environment.
📷 Shona Brunton – WHF Grants & Major Charity Partnerships Manager, Thomas Andrews – ICU Clinical Nurse Specialist Project Lead, Nicola Giblett – Project Manager, Hospital Operations, Dale Imray – Clinical Nurse Manager ICU, Dr Alex Psirides – Clinical Co-Lead ICU, Guy Ryan – Wellington Hospitals Foundation CE.