Car park ward at Darent Valley Hospital
One of the mobile
hospital wards set to be used by Darent Valley Hospital
Patients visiting a Dartford hospital over the winter
might find their sick bed in the car park.
Bosses at Darent Valley Hospital have applied to Dartford
council to allow the mobile wards to be placed in the car park next
to A&E.
The temporary units, which were put up in October without prior
approval, are to accommodate additional winter patients.
The Darenth Wood Road hospital, which was the first private
finance initiative hospital in the country, opened in September
2000 and has 23 wards covering maternity, intensive care,
respiratory and urology.
Last year, it introduced the extra bed space to cope with demand
and is continuing with the idea after it proved a success.
A spokesman for Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, which
runs the hospital, said: "These fully equipped and staffed units
are in use during the hospital's busiest time of the year as short
stay and observation facilities."
Hospital bosses say the units will be required for 21 weeks up
to the end of March.
What do you think? Join the debate below.
28/11/12
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