Code yellow issued as high demand at Royal Hobart Hospital continues

ANOTHER weekend of high demand has prompted the declaring of a code yellow emergency at the Royal Hobart Hospital.

ANOTHER weekend of high demand has prompted the declaring of a code yellow emergency at the Royal Hobart Hospital.

Overcrowding emergencies are among the triggers for a code yellow, denoting a major internal failure.

The Health and Human Services Department said the hospital’s emergency department had been encountering extremely high demand since Friday.

At 2.30pm yesterday there were 50 patients in the emergency department, with 22 requiring admission.

The hospital’s clinical services director, Wendy Rowell, said the code yellow was called so the hospital could use empty beds in specialist areas for other patients.

“Under the normal business model, areas are used for patients needing specific care, but a code yellow provides additional flexibility,” Ms Rowell said.

Last week, Opposition Leader Rebecca White said three requests from clinicians at the hospital to call a code yellow were ignored last Monday night.

At the time, Ms Rowell said a code yellow was not necessary because there was bed capacity in the hospital.