The new-look day surgery, patient recovery and waiting areas will provide a more efficient workplace for staff and a much-improved amenity for patients.

The hospital’s Executive Officer/Director of Nursing, Ann Bodill, hosted a ‘thank you’ luncheon for her team involved in the upgrade project which resulted in operating theatre staff working from Port Macquarie Base Hospital for the past five months.

“The upgrade work has gone smoothly, and everyone is very impressed with the new-look operating theatre and the associated areas, including recovery,” Ms Bodill said.

“We are all very excited about the modern, new-look facility, but today’s thank you lunch is all about the staff.

“Their support was integral to the success of this project.”

Mid North Coast Local Health District Chief Executive Stewart Dowrick also attended the event and inspected the new facilities.

“We were able to temporarily transfer our surgical procedures and team to Port Macquarie Base Hospital, which is testament to the level of teamwork that exists at our health sites.

“This enabled the project to be completed quickly and Wauchope staff are now able to continue their great work in a hospital with an upgraded surgical department.

“During the past few years, we have substantially increased the number of surgical procedures undertaken at Wauchope, which continues to be an important part of our Hastings Macleay Clinical Network and the Local Health District,” Mr Dowrick said.