RDH and Palmerston Regional Hospital Code Yellow lifted after six days
The second Yellow Code to be called this year was lifted six days after being issued at Royal Darwin Hospital and Palmerston Regional Hospital.
UPDATE, November 10: The Code Yellow called at Royal Darwin Hospital and Palmerston Regional Hospital last week has been lifted.
The news was announced by NT Health, six days after the Code Yellow was first issued at the Top End hospitals.
On November 4, it was said the calling of the code was in direct response to the spike in the number of patients needing “ongoing acute care”.
A spokesperson for NT Health also said the 44 aged patients requiring beds at the busy hospitals due to lack of capacity at residential aged care facilities at the time contributed to the bed block.
However, on Monday morning the measure signalling an internal crisis was recalled after NT Health said staff had put new controls in place.
“The Code Yellow was issued in response to an increase in the number of patients requiring ongoing acute care,” an NT Health spokesperson said.
“Due to a number of measures being implemented, demand pressures have eased and patient flow at the hospital has improved.
“Thank you to our staff for their ongoing dedication and commitment.
“We also thank the community for their patience and kindness during these periods of high demand.”
The code was the second one to be called at the hospitals this year after staff experienced a similar issue in July with Alice Springs Hospital following suit a few weeks later due to “flu-like” and “complex medical presentations”.
The calling of the codes coincided with an outbreak of influenza in the Territory when cases skyrocketed during the same month.
Aged care blamed for Code Yellow called at RDH and Palmerston
Initial - November 4: More than 40 aged care patients at Royal Darwin Hospital and Palmerston Regional Hospital have contributed to a Code Yellow being declared, NT Health says.
The Health Department issued the Code Yellow on Tuesday morning citing capacity challenges due to a spike in patients needing “acute care”.
The calling of the code, which signifies an internal crisis, is the second one to be called at the hospitals this year.
In a written statement, NT Health said the 44 aged care patients currently occupying beds at the two hospitals was contributing to the bed block but due to the lack of beds available in residential aged care, the patients have nowhere else to go.
Due to this, the department said there were fewer inpatient beds available and waiting times in the Emergency Department had increased.
To manage the situation, NT Health has implemented several measures.
“A range of measures have been implemented to ease pressure and improve patient flow and discharges, and these will continue to be reviewed and adapted to mitigate the situation,” a spokesperson said.
“If you are experiencing a health emergency, call Triple Zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.
“The Palmerston Urgent Care Care Clinic provides urgent medical care for non-emergencies.”
For those who are unsure on how to manage their illness or injury, NT Health encouraged people to visit the Healthdirect website or call Healthdirect for free on 1800 022 222.
During this period, NT Health asked people to be kind to staff.
“We thank our staff for their hard work during these periods of high demand to make sure Territorians continue to receive the best, patient centred care possible,” they said.
Shadow Minister for Health, Dheran Young, commended Territory healthcare staff for their dedication and “resilience” but said the second calling of the Code Yellow this year showed the health system remained in “crisis”.
“This is because the CLP Government has failed to take meaningful action to alleviate the burden on our hospitals,” he said.
“Territorians are forced to wait for hours to see a doctor.
“Essential regional health infrastructure investments have been cut, leaving residents with no choice but to travel to our major centres for care, putting further pressure on hospitals.
The calling of the Code Yellow follows the day after Health Minister Steve Edgington welcomed the Commonwealth’s move to open expressions of interest for a new NT aged care facility in Darwin.
Every day in Territory hospitals, up to 80 beds are filled by patients who should be in aged care and cannot return home due to the level of support needed.
This is reportedly costing NT taxpayers $40 million every year.
“Getting this new aged care facility up and running will crucially ease pressures at Royal Darwin Hospital,” Mr Edgington said on Monday.
“This ‘bed block’ ripples through the system, causing longer waits in our emergency departments and putting pressure on care for everyone.”
Member for Solomon, Luke Gosling, said once the expressions of interest had been reviewed and a detailed plan lodged, construction should begin next year in the Dry Season.
“We’ll look at their capacity to deliver within the period of around two years to build it … so that we can get our seniors into it as quickly as possible,” Mr Gosling said.
He said the construction had been attempted before by the previous NT Government but was not successful.
“That’s why the Federal Government has stepped in with the $60 million, acknowledging the price of construction in the North, and to really be in partnership with the NT Government to get the 120 beds up and running,” Mr Gosling said.
“To not only take the pressure off our hospitals, but to give senior Territorians a more dignified life living in a wonderful, brand-new facility – it’s very much needed.”
The expressions of interest will close on November 27.
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Originally published as RDH and Palmerston Regional Hospital Code Yellow lifted after six days
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