Hospital providing more services
Services are increasing at Newark Hospital, a public meeting about progress there over the past year was told.
About 20 people at Christ Church Hall, Boundary Road, were told that Newark was a successful hospital.
At the meeting it was explained how Newark fitted into Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which also operates King’s Mill Hospital, Sutton-in-Ashfield, and Mansfield Community Hospital.
Mr Andrew Jones, the nursing manager, said Newark had 56 medical beds and 21 surgical beds.
It had two operating theatres and one minor operating theatre.
Accident and emergency services were round the clock.
There was the Sherwood Women’s Centre and a gynaecology unit, an early pregnancy unit and breast care services.
There were endoscopy and haematology services.
Emergency care had been integrated with a GP out of hours’ service, based at the hospital.
There was a backlog of maintenance work, which was being tackled. The only outstanding work yet to be done was on the carpark.
Extra spaces were to be added, including more for the disabled.
There was a 16-slice CT scanner. A radiographer can attend the hospital from King’s Mill.
Jane Warder, a former nurse and the executive director of strategy and improvement, said there was a new system linking doctors, surgeons and other medical staff at Newark and King’s Mill so that images such as x-rays could be reviewed, aiding diagnosis and treatment.
There was also a predictive discharge computer system that helped to plan admissions, and a system whereby medical notes could be voice recorded and then digitally transcribed, so they could be downloaded and viewed by healthcare professionals anywhere in the trust.
There was a new cardiac monitoring system on Sconce Ward, which specialised in cardiology.
A new sexually-transmitted diseases clinic costing £1m begins work in the next financial year.
Future plans included a pain management clinic.
There would also be a review of theatre recovery space to see if it was adequate.
People at the meeting agreed that Newark Hospital was welcoming and efficient, clean and a credit to the town.