Newland Ward
Newland Ward is a 36 bed acute surgical, trauma and burns unit. Each year, staff care for approximately 3,000 children from birth to 18 years of age.
Patients in Newland Ward require complex surgery in the areas of urology, orthopaedics, craniofacial, neurosurgery, burns and plastic surgery, selected cardiology, ear, nose, throat and eye surgery.
Due to the complexity of care, over 100 children each year require a hospital stay greater than 10 days, and occasionally, for several months. This is a long time to be away from the normal comforts of home. Newland Ward is in need of a refurbishment as it is very tired looking.
New kitchen area
After years of constant use both ward kitchens are outdated and need to be relocated and combined into one larger room. Along with the installation of previously donated whitegoods, new cupboards and bench tops, the ward kitchen will be able to accommodate the necessary and daily food and drink preparation. This will enable parents to prepare food – one of the few day to day tasks they can do for their sick child in the foreign environment of a hospital.
New drug room
 The current Drug Room is outdated and it is essential this area is upgraded and relocated to streamline patient care. This upgrade and relocation, within Newland Ward, will better service drug storage needs and more complex therapies and will ensure the provision of the best drug therapy for each patient.
“What Newland Ward lacks in glamour, it is overwhelmingly compensated for by the ‘heart and soul’ of the team of staff who work there. They are a dedicated bunch of enthusiastic professionals, who ooze warmth and cheerfulness. I have never encountered a team who embrace a “can do” attitude, while equally supporting a “make do” compromise. I cannot think of two more worthwhile projects than to move these two tiny kitchens into one spacious, light and bright room, and to modernise the essential and very busy Drug Room. Though these projects might seem small in the bigger health care strategy, they will significantly improve working conditions and bring so much pleasure and joy to the families and staff who spend time in Newland Ward”.
Sue Barlow
Nurse Manager
Division of Paediatric Surgery & DATS
Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
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