Tasmanians in need of critical care will soon benefit from an expanded and state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Hobart Hospital.
The recent redevelopment has substantially increased the capacity of the ICU, adding 12 new intensive care beds and bringing the total number of beds to 33.
Premier and Minister for Health, Jeremy Rockliff, officially opened the new ICU unit today.
The new and upgraded facilities include additional spaces for families and visitors, an enclosed balcony area that offers therapeutic outdoor spaces for patients, and individual temperature control in all rooms to cater to specific clinical requirements.
The inclusion of windows in all bed spaces allows for natural light, which health specialists say plays a vital role in patient recovery.
Hoists are also now available to aid in the movement and rehabilitation of injured patients.
This expansion marks an important milestone in Stage 2 of the Royal Hobart Hospital Masterplan, which outlines a 30-year roadmap for the phased redevelopment of the hospital.
The redeveloped ICU is set to begin admitting patients next month.
