North Lantau Hospital centralised admission of COVID-19 in-patient
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The Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (March 1) that North Lantau Hospital (NLTH) will utilise the entire 160 beds to receive COVID-19 patients from midnight tomorrow (March 2) onwards. The contingency measure can help concentrating manpower and resources to care patients and cope with the severe epidemic situation.
The Hospital Chief Executive of NLTH, Dr Alexander Law said, "the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) will maintain service, while ambulances will only send patients with emergent medical need or patients isolated in NLTH Hong Kong Infection Control Centre, the community treatment facility at AsiaWorld-Expo and the community isolation facility at Penny's Bay who required to attend A&E to NLTH. Other patients will be diverted to Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) for treatment. For patients attended A&E on their own, service is not affected."
Other patients currently hospitalised in NLTH will gradually be transferred to PMH, so as to vacate the beds for receiving COVID-19 patients. Specialist out-patient clinics and vaccination service in Community Health Centre will maintain, amid stable patients will be arranged to refill drugs without consultation. Community geriatric assessment services will be arranged through telecare. Affected patients will be notified by the staff members for the arrangements. Ambulatory surgery and day rehabilitation services will be suspended.
NLTH has planned designated arrival and departure routes for COVID-19 patients in accordance with infection control guidelines to avoid overlapping with A&E and specialist out-patient clinics patients. The hospital has strengthened ventilation and provided proper personal protective equipment and infection control training to the staff, in order to safeguard the well-being of patients, staff members and residents in the community.
The HA expressed apology to the patients affected, appealed to patients and members of the public for understanding, and thanked for their co-operation. The HA will closely monitor the demand of healthcare services in North Lantau and the operation of NLTH to provide appropriate medical support to the residents in there.
Ends/Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Issued at HKT 20:12
Issued at HKT 20:12
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