Extra beds added to Darwin's ageing hospital as new ward welcomes patients
A new multi-purpose ward at the Northern Territory's largest hospital has received its first patients this week, with hopes the $24 million investment will help ease capacity pressures in Darwin's health sector.
A newly opened, $24 million multi-purpose ward at the Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) has welcomed its first patients this week. The 32-bed Ward 1C is expected to be fully operational by the end of the month, aiming to alleviate prolonged staffing and capacity pressures experienced by the aging hospital. The ward's opening comes amid persistent high patient demand, leading to six code yellows since January, the most recent of which lasted for weeks in July through August.
NT Health Minister Steve Edgington stated that 13 patients are currently receiving care at the new ward, with all 32 beds anticipated to be available by month-end. The flexible design of the ward accommodates bariatric, renal, and general medical patients, enabling cardiac monitoring, additional isolation capacity, bariatric accommodation, and extra space for patients with cognitive impairment.
The announcement of Ward 1C's opening follows a $23.95 million investment by the former Territory Labor government in 2023 to address overcrowding and patient demand at the hospital.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
