K-Block is ready to play its part in Tasmania’s health system with patient admissions and departure services now open in the new state-of-the-art health facility.

On Monday, 20 April 2020, the Royal Hobart Hospital’s Reception opened on K-Block’s Ground Floor.

For everyone’s safety at this time, visitors are not permitted at the Royal Hobart Hospital.

Liverpool Street will remain as the only entrance for authorised people to access the RHH.

New corridors between hospital building and the new K-Block have opened to support patient and staff movements.

On Tuesday 21 April 2020, Patient Admissions and the Transit Lounge also opened on the Ground Floor.

Patients with a planned admission now go to K-Block for their initial interview where their personal details will be confirmed and their medical record prepared for admission.

K-Block’s expanded Transit Lounge opened with 10 recliners, four bed spaces, a consulting room and treatment room.

It has capacity to reduce pressure on the Emergency Department (ED) by providing a safe clinical area for patients no longer in need of acute emergency services until their inpatient bed is prepared for them or they are collected or moved to a residential care facility for example.

Staff are working tirelessly to open inpatient wards and services in K-Block over coming weeks that will provide an additional 44 beds in the Royal Hobart Hospital.

The safety of patients and staff is our priority and K-Block has been designed using best practice control infection prevention and control measures.

The capacity to provide treatment and care of infectious patients will significantly expand as more wards open with K-Block providing a total of 22 dedicated negative pressure rooms.

Hand hygiene stations are located at the entrance/exit of each ward, personal protective equipment bays are located throughout wards, furnishings, fittings and surfaces are designed to be easily cleaned and even lift buttons have modern anti-bacterial surfaces.

Background

A negative-pressure room is a single room that can be used to isolate patients with known infectious conditions. It has an internal staff handwash basin, direct access to an ensuite toilet and shower facilities and an anteroom (airlock) as per infection control requirements.

24 Apr 2020