New hyperbaric chamber installed at PEH
A NEW hyperbaric chamber was successfully installed yesterday morning.
The bespoke container accommodating the hyperbaric chamber has now been installed outside the Emergency Department at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.
It will be operated by specialist staff from that department, once operational training has been completed.
Health & Social Care’s business manager at the emergency department, Jackie Strachan, said she was pleased to report the successful installation of the new hyperbaric chamber.
‘Work will continue today to connect the main services, water, electricity and data,’ she said.
‘Once the chamber has been fully commissioned, operational training will commence.
‘All access routes into the PEH site are now open. Thank you to everyone for their patience whilst the chamber was being installed.’
The chamber, which will be used to treat a number of conditions, including divers suffering from decompression sickness, was expected to be operational by the end of 2018, but faced delays, including the need to build a bespoke container to house the chamber.
It had an original quoted cost of £340,000, which was based on 2013/14 figures, but manufacturing costs and exchange rates had fluctuated since, resulting in a cost of £408,000 from an allocated budget of £440,000 from Policy & Resources.
Once staff operational training has been completed it will then become available to the public.
In the meantime, divers will still have access to the current chamber, which is being rented for £60,000 a year by HSC.
