Emergency Information

About the Acute Ward

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Benalla Health has a 24-bed acute ward. There are four single rooms with the remaining rooms being doubles. Most rooms have ensuites and all rooms have views to the magnificent gardens that encompass the hospital grounds.
 
The nursing staff employed in the ward are highly skilled practitioners.
 
The acute ward provides care for a diverse group of patients with a significant focus on the elderly, palliative care patients, cardiac patients, diabetes management, rehabilitation, general medical patients and those awaiting placement in other facilities, such as nursing homes.
 
The unit has four portable cardiac monitoring units allowing patients to move around the hospital if needed, while still providing the staff with the opportunity to monitor their heart rate and rhythm.
 
Benalla Health provides an opportunity for local residents to return to Benalla for convalescence following treatment at other hospitals. This allows families to be reunited in a timely manner and decreases the stress that occurs with loved ones being separated.

As well as the nursing and allied health staff, there are porters, administrative staff, cleaners, menu monitors and catering staff who all provide an exceptional level of support and care to the patients.

The ward has access to local allied health staff, such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, infection control nurses, wound care nurses, diabetes educators, district nursing, community services, social worker, pharmacists, day activities and many more.

There is also access to regional services such as Council services, aged care assessment teams, psychiatric care, alcohol and drug management programs as well as other regional programs.

The philosophy of this ward is person-centered care. Benalla Health staff listen to patients and determine their plan of care with the patient's needs in mind.

Patients are encouraged to remain as independent as possible throughout their stay at Benalla Health, thereby limiting any functional decline. Early walking, getting dressed into their own clothes, sitting up for meals and participating in hospital activities are all a means of minimising functional decline, the risk of clots and fostering general well being.

The ward has two inside sitting areas and many areas in the garden to sit, where patients and families can sit together and talk or eat their meals.

Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Bill 2015

The Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Bill 2015 was introduced to Parliament on 1 September 2015 and the Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Act 2015 (the Act) took effect from 23 December 2015.

The purposes of the Act is to confirm the minimum requirements for:

  • nursing and/or midwifery staffing ratios in public health services; and
  • the associated compliance reporting.  

Amendments to the Act were implemented on 1 March 2019. Among the Amendments is the requirement for health services to make a public disclosure related to their mixed wards and birthing suites.  

Amendments to the Regulations reflect current practices and provide consistency across hospitals as to the criteria and requirements services must considered in determining appropriate staffing requirements for the delivery of safe and quality care.

If you would like to know more about the Safe Patient Care Act go to https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/health-workforce/nursing-and-midwifery/safe-patient-care-act. A copy of the legislation is available on the Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents website www.legislation.vic.gov.au.

At Benalla Health – Inpatient Services are provided via a mixed ward incorporating the Acute and Midwifery subunits.

 Name of mixed ward:

 Inpatient Services

 The total number of occupied beds:

 28

 The different ratios that apply for Inpatient services

 ACUTE

 MIDWIFERY

 Morning shift: 1 nurse to 6 patients, 1 nurse in charge

 Morning shift: 1 midwife to 4 patients, 1 nurse/midwife in
 charge

 Afternoon shift: 1 nurse to 7 patients, 1 nurse in charge

 Afternoon shift: 1 midwife to 4 patients, 1 nurse/midwife in
 charge

 Night shift: 1 nurse to 10 patients

 Night shift: 1 midwife to 4 patients.

 The expected number of occupied beds in ACUTE

 24

 The expected number of occupied beds in MIDWIFERY

 4

 Average occupied BIRTHING SUITES

 1

 TOTAL BIRTHS: 1 August 2023 to 31 January 2024 = 33

First Published: 26 August 2019

Last Updated: 5 February 2024

Next Update Due: 1 August 2024