NT Government ‘must urgently build second road into Royal Darwin Hospital’ after crash cause traffic chaos: Health boss

THE NT Government must urgently build a second road into Royal Darwin Hospital after a crash this morning blocked the only access to the hospital, the head of the Australian Medical Association NT say

THE NT Government must urgently build a second road into Royal Darwin Hospital after a crash this morning blocked the only access to the hospital, the head of the Australian Medical Association NT says.

A crash between a car and a motorcycle on Rocklands Drive in Tiwi caused traffic chaos today and blocked the only road into and out of the hospital.

AMA NT president Dr Robert Parker said the accident blocked off the entry to RDH for emergency vehicles and staff needing to access the RDH Emergency Department and other parts of the hospital.

“It is a real concern with people trying to get to the Emergency department,” Dr Parker said.

“The main entry was blocked for up to half an hour this morning because of the traffic build up caused by the accident.

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“Apart from the poor person who was injured in the accident, it is ridiculous that a major hospital in this day and age has one fragile choke point where the whole hospital can basically cease to function.

“There were ambulances trapped in the traffic jam, there were fire engines trapped in the block, and there may have been people trying to get to the Emergency Department and having one fragile road that can be blocked like that is bizarre.

“We have approached the Minister about that a couple of weeks ago and we are told there is an access point that could come into the back of the hospital through Lyons, but we have been told it is going to take a long time to negotiate with the people of Lyons about that.

“It could be opened very quickly for limited expense.

“Today is a very good point why it needs to be opened with priority.

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“It is critical that there is a second entry point. One accident choking the hospital entry is one accident too many. All manner of people needing to get to the hospital today were blocked from doing so.”