A rush of patients has led to another weekend of bed block at the Shoalhaven District Hospital.
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Shoalhaven Hospital, and in particular, the emergency department was "under the pump with bed block again" on Sunday afternoon.
And apparently, it wasn't just an influx of cases - the South Coast Register has been told at one stage there were 25 people in the waiting room and seven ambulances parked in the ED car park.
Each had brought in a patient that couldn't be offloaded because of a "lack of beds" across the hospital, meaning patients in the ED waiting to be moved into as ward had nowhere to go.
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It is understood the 10-bed over census ward, a 24-hour a day ward that operated over the usually busier winter periods, that can cater for lower acuity patients who are stable and are waiting to move into the ward or to go home has been closed.
The South Coast Register has been told there is sign on the closed ward simply saying "construction zone do not enter".
In May 2017, a $1.8 million expansion of the Shoalhaven ED aimed at giving the local community improved access to services, was opened.
The new design, layout and equipment was to promote better patient flow and access and included a 24-hour a day rapid assessment zones to service waiting room care and promote early assessment and care and three bays, where ambulance can drop off patients, promoting the early transfer of care for patients arriving by ambulance.
The Register is now hearing that area, which was manned by a dedicated staff member, will now be staffed by personnel from the resuscitation area, when not involved in resuscitation cases.
That section boasts five beds, including beds in the plaster and procedures rooms, as well as three treatment chairs.
It is understood the area will also be closed each evening at 10.30pm.
This latest incident comes just weeks after figures released by the Bureau of Health Information showed Shoalhaven District Hospital has some of the worst emergency department delays in the state and another BHI report last week that Shoalhaven Hospital patients rate their doctors and nurses above average, but have to wait longer to see a specialist or have an operation.
The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD) has been contacted for comment.