Cornwall Regional A&E wait area back indoors

The Accident and Emergency (A&E) wait area of the Cornwall Regional Hospital, which was repurposed to accommodate COVID-19 patients, has been transformed back to its original purpose.

This has created a more comfortable environment for patients to wait as they access care. Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton, who toured the hospital last Friday, told journalists that with the substantial decline in COVID-19 cases, the hospital has transferred the area back to the inside.

"It is a much more comfortable environment. It is air-conditioned, the staff are a lot more comfortable, it has nice seating areas, it has bathroom facilities, and so on," he noted.

"So, while people still have to wait, as is the case in all A&Es, they can wait in a more comfortable setting," he pointed out.

The minister said that the redevelopment of the hospital, which is located in Mount Salem, St James, is in the "home stretch".

Cabinet has approved the final phase of the project, which entails the building of ward spaces, operating theatres, a new A&E, and more.

"It's still a long stretch, it is not a sprint. We will get to a point shortly where things will become a lot more obvious in terms of the completion of the process," Tufton said.

He opined that the transformation taking place will not only benefit patients, but also staff who use the facilities.