SIMON Corbell says Canberra Hospital’s newly refurbished central outpatients department has now begun taking its first patients.

Simon said the $1.1 million refurbishment would increase the consultation capacity of the central outpatients department by 15 per cent with four new consultation rooms and two new reception and waiting areas, bringing a fresh modern look and feel to the space.

“The central outpatients department is one of the busiest areas of Canberra Hospital with over 5,500 appointments per month,” Simon said.

“The four additional consultation rooms as part of this refurbishment will allow clinicians in the central outpatients department to see more patients in a timely manner, improving waiting times for specialists in the ACT. This increased capacity and space will also help to improve outcomes for people who, without these specialist services, would potentially require hospitalisation.

“These refurbishments to central outpatients are in addition to the new Building 15 outpatients services facility at Canberra Hospital, which opened in late 2015.Together these outpatient facilities will make outpatient services more convenient to access than ever before.”

The central outpatients department provides services ranging from diabetes and endocrinology to neurology, orthopaedics, and dermatology. The central outpatients department refurbishment has been delivered through ACT Health’s Capital Upgrades Program.