The Gauteng Provincial Government has started relocating the old Natalspruit Hospital from Katlehong to the new site in Vosloorus.

The newly built 821-bed regional hospital will be officially opened on 28 August 2014.

The facility will offer services including family medicine, 24-hour casualty, medico-legal, obstetric and gynaecological services, ophthalmology, a mortuary, radiography and an otolaryngology clinic.

The hospital, which began relocating this morning, has four operating theatres. It will take referrals from clinics, community health care centres, district hospitals from Katlehong, Vosloorus, Thokoza, Magugala Heights, Zonkizikwe, Phola Park, Palm Ridge, Eden Park, Germiston and Leondale.

Old hospital won’t take walk-in patients

Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu said as of today, the old Natalspruit Hospital will not take walk-in patients.

“In the interim, patients are requested not to come to the hospital, but to visit their nearest healthcare facilities such as Bertha Gxowa in Germiston; Pholosong in Tsakane; Far East Rand Hospital in Springs; Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg and Heidelberg Hospital.

“Yesterday, our Forensic Pathology Services (FPS) moved bodies (from the mortuary) to the new hospital after informing the families,” Mahlangu said.

About 500 patients are being migrated to the new facility by internal and external departments to ensure that patient care and health services are not compromised.

Where required, Mahlangu said, hospital staff accompany patients in buses and ambulances, while nursing staff and physicians accompany ICU and high risk patients.

“The diversion of patients started on 14 August and over the past weekend, a number of patients were evaluated and referred to other facilities,” the MEC said.

The relocation and opening of the new Natalspruit Hospital is in line with the commitment made by Gauteng Premier David Makhura during his State of the Province Address. He promised to open the new hospital within 100 days of taking office.

After all the patients have been moved, the buildings in the old hospital will be decontaminated in the coming days. The Department of Infrastructure Development will take over the facility and implement a demolish plan.