Life Beacon Bay Hospital (opened November 2009)

(Above) An artist’s impression of the newly constructed 135 bed, seven theatre Life Beacon Bay Hospital, a multimillion rand initiative.

The state-of-the-art hospital offers world class facilities in the fields of obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics and neonatology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, neurosurgery, urology and some general surgery. Other facilities includes an accident and emergency unit, on-site radiology unit, pathology laboratories, a retail pharmacy and on-site doctors’ consulting rooms.

Business and residential developments within the region has given rise to a need for a healthcare facility that offers comprehensive treatment options. The location of the hospital has been carefully chosen to provide the healthcare infrastructure for the current expansion in and around East London, particularly the Quenera Spatial Development Plan, which will link the suburbs of Beacon Bay and Gonubie, and is equally conveniently accessible for patients in East London and East Coast resorts.

Life Orthopaedic Hospital (opened mid November 2009)

(Above) A photo of the new 41 bed, four theatre Life Orthopaedic Hospital in Cape Town, based on the same premises as Life Vincent Pallotti Hospital. Apart from offering an array of orthopaedic services, through various orthopaedic specialists, including an orthopaedic prosthetist, other disciplines will also include pathology, physiotherapy and an X-rays department.

Life St George’s Hospital's new cardiac unit and other facilities

(Above) An artist's impression of the revamped Life St George's Hospital.

The modern new cardiac unit has opened at Life St George’s Hospital in the beginning of November 2009. The unit comprises a cardiac catheterisation laboratory, a dedicated cardiac theatre, an expanded ICU to also cater for surgical and medical cardiac patients, and a coronary care unit, staffed by cardiac ICU staff, for patients who have undergone angiograms or similar procedures in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory.

A cardiac rehabilitation centre, the first such facility in Port Elizabeth at a private hospital, will open in March 2010 in the medical suites wing. Permanent consulting rooms for the cardiologist and cardio-thoracic surgeon will also be located there.

The cardiac unit is one of the new facilities constructed as part of the Life Healthcare Group’s R90 million capital investment in Life St George’s Hospital to expand the services offered by the hospital. Also forming part of the expansion project was the addition of two new wards, each with 28 beds, which have opened two days after the cardiac unit. The new Yellowwood ward on the third floor caters for long stay gynaecological and urological patients, while the Silver Oak ward on the second floor caters for long stay patients who underwent general surgical procedures. In addition, equipment in the hospital has also been upgraded with the latest available technology.

All of these new services, expansions and upgrades are aimed at better serving the needs of the residents of the Nelson Mandela Metro and surrounding areas.

The first phase of the project, which was completed earlier this year and entailed the redevelopment of the reception area and substantially increasing the parking facilities at the hospital, has elicited very favourable reaction from patients and visitors alike. The new, spacious reception area offers considerably more admission space and is much more comfortable for patients. A Dulcé Café, which now shares the entrance with the hospital, also adds to patient and visitor comfort, as does the permanently manned security office adjoining the entrance, which also acts as an information centre.

New paediatric rehabilitation facilities at Life Entabeni Hospital and Life New Kensington Clinic

(Above) An artist’s impression of the 10 bed dedicated paediatric rehabilitation wing, which had opened at Life Entabeni Hospital in Durban in July 2009 – the first dedicated paediatric rehabilitation unit in KwaZulu-Natal.

(Above) A photo of Life New Kensington Clinic, based in a beautiful stately national monument building.

Life Rehabilitation has also opening a 10 bed paediatric rehabilitation facility at Life New Kensington Clinic in mid November 2009.

New specialised rehabilitation services

• In September 2009, Life Rehabilitation had expanded its range of services, by including specialised inpatient pulmonary and orthopaedic rehabilitation.
• Life Rehabilitation now offers a unique structured inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation programme at all its rehabilitation units based at Life Riverfield Lodge in Nietgedact northwest of Johannesburg, Life Entabeni Hospital in Durban, Life New Kensington Clinic in Johannesburg, Life Eugene Marais Hospital in Pretoria, Life Pasteur Hospital in Bloemfontein and Life St Dominic's Hospital in East London.
• In September 2009 a new orthopaedic programme had been introduced at all Life Rehabilitation units.