Waikato Hospital's new High Dependency Unit received its first patients this morning as the latest department to open under the multi million dollar campus redevelopment.

The new 12-bed unit, with a staff ratio of one to two patients, offers the latest in medical technology and features designs suggested by nurses who have ensured the space is open and user-friendly.

HDC clinical charge nurse Lynnette Jones has been involved in the units development right from the start.

"The devil is in the details. It's the little things that all come together that make this work so well,'' she said.

The HDU has two isolation rooms, one complete with a negative air flow and anteroom which expels air outside, rather than into the unit, to combat airborne diseases like Tuberculosis.

Bed stations feature dialysis taps and a large central medical services pendant packed with gear including medical gasses, suction, monitor and power for medical equipment.

Up until today the HDU was located next to the Intensive Care Unit on level 3 of the Menzies Building.

The ICU will move alongside HDU next April to complete the $12 million redevelopment of both to become known as Critical Care.

Health Waikato chief operating officer Jan Adams is thrilled with the state-of-the-art facility. 

"This is a further exciting phase of our building/redevelopment project and I look forward to ICU moving to its new location  alongside HDU, next year,'' she said.

- © Fairfax NZ News