NZ - Patients flock to GPs over swine flu worries

[Sally Furniss]

Patients flock to GPs over swine flu worries

Updated at 12:24pm on 6 July 2009

Family doctors in Auckland are dealing with rising numbers of people concerned about swine flu, following three deaths thought likely to be the result of the virus.

ProCare, a group of more than 180 practices, says some are reporting at least twice the number of patients.

ProCare medical director Dr John Cameron, says some practices have been reporting a rise from 30 patients a day to 60 a day, with GPs in south Auckland and west Auckland bearing the brunt of the increase.

The deaths of three people since 28 June - Zachary Wilson, 19, a 42-year-old man in Christchurch and a young girl in Wellington - have been linked to swine flu.

Four people with swine flu remain in intensive care units while a 17 year old woman in Wellington Hospital who was critical is now in serious but stable condition.

A 30-year-old woman remains in intensive care in Wellington hospital, two people are in critical condition in Auckland Hospital's intensive care unit and a woman in her early 20s is in Hawke's Bay Regional Hospital's intensive care unit.


http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/07/06/1245bb66d6b6

 

[DazzaMc]

Re: NZ - Patients flock to GPs over swine flu worries

Serious question - does anyone have any idea how many intensive care units New Zealand has?

 

[kiwibird]

Re: NZ - Patients flock to GPs over swine flu worries

Canterbury:

INTENSIVE CARE
Department of Intensive Care, Christchurch Hospital

Christchurch Hospital is a 600-650 bed institution with full tertiary care facilities. Our busiest time of year is usually winter, and there is an active liaison with the rehabilitation hospitals (Burwood and Princess Margaret) to ensure that patients are appropriately placed for acute and sub-acute care. This is one of many hospitals administered by Canterbury District Health Board.

Intensive Care within Christchurch Hospital is a specially staffed/equipped Department treating acutely ill or injured patients with life threatening disorders and providing post-operative care and treatment of cardiac surgical patients and certain other post-operative acute/elective surgical patients. You may wish to find out more information about our Intensive Care Unit and the services it provides.
If you have family or a friend in Intensive Care, please see our Information for Friends and Family and information on how to contact ICU.

The Department of Intensive Care is located on the first floor of the Parkside East Block of Christchurch Hospital - see location map. The department is located in close proximity to Operating Theatres and Emergency Department.

Intensive Care has two separate clinical areas - the General Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CICU). The Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit is geographically separated from the General Intensive Care but is located on the same floor. There are a total of eighteen functional beds spread over ICU and CICU with staff rotating seamlessly through both areas. The General Intensive Care has twelve beds - three of these beds are able to provide isolation facilities. The Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit has six beds - one of these beds has isolation facilities.

But this does not include Princess Margaret which now has an extra dedicated ward. I am not sure of the level of care that can be provided there.