New Ward Now Open At Manchester Infirmary
By: , June 22, 2021
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The spanking new female ward at the Manchester Infirmary was officially opened on Friday (June 18) by Local Government and Rural Development Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie.
Work on the 41-bed ward, which cost just over $48 million, has been completed for more than a year, but the official opening was delayed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Minister McKenzie said that the facility is “first class”.
“This is a new female ward with all the latest equipment,” he noted.
“We have provided room in the funds spent here for a solar water system, giving residents access to warm water. Water harvesting systems are also in place and all infirmaries have been equipped with standby generators,” he noted further.
The new building is wheelchair accessible and the grounds, which now boast a gazebo, are beautifully landscaped. A new kitchen is also being constructed at a cost of $2.2 million.
Minister McKenzie said that consultations are close to completion for the renaming of all infirmaries. The move is part of measures by the Government to introduce a modern human services management approach, and uplift the standard of care for those who depend on the State for assistance.
“We have introduced for the first time, dietitians and physiotherapists, therapeutic parks, so that we can offer residents the kind of comfort they deserve,” the Minister noted.
Meanwhile, Matron of the Manchester Infirmary, Nurse Tracy Thompson-McLean, is happy with the new ward, which, she said, has adequate space to manage the COVID-19 restrictions, including social distancing.
The wide aisles enable the nurses to see all the patients on the ward and nurses also have a more spacious area in which to work.
“We now have nine extra beds, and space will be freed up in the old ward. We have been using the new ward for persons who go to hospital, return here for isolation for the specified 14 days before going back to the regular ward. It helps to house them more comfortably, as there is more space,” the matron said.
The infirmary currently has 65 residents – 33 males and 32 females. Front-line workers and residents have been vaccinated by the teams from the Manchester Health Department.