The University of Canberra Hospital (UCH) has celebrated its first anniversary.
According to the Minister for Health, in its first year UCH cared for more than 2,000 people there were more than 10,000 visits to UCH clinics.
The Minister, Rachel Stephen-Smith said that in that time UCH served more than 65,000 inpatient meals; provided 4,400 treatments in multidisciplinary clinics; answered 12,000 calls through its Help Desk; and captured and reused approximately 44,000 kWh of solar energy.
Ms Stephen-Smith said that as Canberra’s first dedicated rehabilitation hospital, UCH moved patients out of an acute hospital setting and into an environment that promoted recovery and encouraged independence.
“The University of Canberra Hospital is a safe, supportive place that provides care for adults who are experiencing mental illness or recovering from surgery, stroke, illness or injury,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“A patient’s environment can have a big impact on the success of their recovery. Moving services out to this modern, dedicated facility has resulted in better patient support and care.”
She said the specialised services and multi-disciplinary teams available at UCH, along with individually-tailored care and programs, were critical to meeting the current and future health demands of the city.
“At capacity, UCH will provide 140 overnight rehabilitation beds, including 20 adult mental health beds,” she said.
“In addition to overnight beds, the hospital offers 75 day places for mental health and rehabilitation services.”
Ms Stephen-Smith said that in collaboration with the University of Canberra, UCH was also developing as a centre for research, innovation and education.
