Mental hospital starts indoor emergency treatment facility
The staff has to be appointed in three-shift per day basis as over 150 patients are referred to Sassoon hospital every month
Pune: Amid staff shortage, the Regional Mental Hospital (RMH) has started an indoor emergency treatment facility for critical cases alongside its specialised health care services. The Yerawada-based hospital used to earlier refer such patients to Sassoon General Hospital (SGH), said officials.
“A four-member team comprising attendant, nurse, cleaner and driver has to be assigned per patient in one shift for referral cases. The staff has to be appointed in three-shift per day basis as over 150 patients are referred to Sassoon hospital every month,” said a RMH official on condition of anonymity.
The hospital, from January 20, 2025, have started independent treatment facilities in both male and female wards with three oxygen beds each and essential emergency medical equipment. Patients from RMH will now only be referred to SGH if necessary, the official said.
Dr Shrinivas Kolod, medical superintendent, RMH, Pune, said, “Transferring patients required additional manpower, leading to extra work pressure on the staff. Moreover, SGH which already caters to a large number of patients, faced challenges in managing the additional workload of referred cases. RMH has trained its staff to handle emergencies and it will reduce dependency on external hospitals.”
According to officials, there have been cases of RMH inmates made to wait for long hours, even at midnight, while seeking treatment at SGH in the past.
RMH has 2,540 beds with 1,200 inmates and 400 patients daily avail treatment at its outpatient department (OPD) facility. The OPD hours have been increased from 9 am to 2 pm to 9 am to 5 pm. Of the 954 approved posts at the hospital, authorities have filled 780.
