The first patients to use Wagga Base Hospital's health services hub have moved into the brand new building after years of anticipation.
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Clint Hanlon, 59, was one of the first people through the doors on Monday to receive his regular dialysis.
"It's good. It's state of the art. It's got everything that the nurses need," he said.
"When we were over in the old clinic, we were still using bottled oxygen and that sort of thing. It was a small building.
"Fourteen chairs in a small building - it didn't leave a lot of room, whereas there's plenty of room here."
Mr Hanlon, who helps facilitate a support group in Wagga for other dialysis patients, has been travelling from Cootamundra three times a week for the past five years to get treatment for kidney disease.
He has also thanked the hospital auxiliary for its support of the new unit.
In other news
The renal unit is the first service to move into the new hospital hub, the final piece of Wagga's $431 health service redevelopment.
An additional 16 people can receive their dialysis each week on top of the 59 current renal unit patients.
Nurse unit manager Mitch Woods said increasing demand prompted the decision to move the patients into the new building as soon as possible.
"I was lucky that we had a good leadership team that supported it and had good support with the development team to actually make it happen," he said.
"It's exciting for us to be able to provide care in this building. It is a privilege that we have this building for the clients and the service."
Other outpatient services will transfer into the new building from April 30, with the Murrumbidgee Local Health District anticipating that most services will be transferred by May 4.
MLHD chief executive Jill Ludford said 60 health services were making the move in a staged process to minimise the impact on staff and patients.
"Patients, clients and consumers for all the services in the new building will be kept up-to-date by their clinicians about the impact of the move on their individual appointments and treatments," she said.
"Thank you to our staff, patients, clients, consumers and visitors for working with us during the staged transfer of services."
Catie McLeod
Catie is a reporter at The Daily Advertiser covering health and Wagga City Council. You can contact her on c.mcleod@dailyadvertiser.com.au or 0475 819 651.
Catie is a reporter at The Daily Advertiser covering health and Wagga City Council. You can contact her on c.mcleod@dailyadvertiser.com.au or 0475 819 651.
