Psychiatric Hospital to receive patients directly from airport

Patients referred from outside provinces to Laloki Psychiatric Hospital will be transferred directly to the hospital from the airport rather than going through Port Moresby General Hospital emergency department, medical services director Dr Ludwig Nanawar says.
Nanawar,pictured said this would save time for patients and guardians who were sometimes held up for too long at Port Moresby General Hospital without being admitted to Laloki.The Laloki Psychiatric Hospital issued a circular in 2014 to medical directors of all provincial hospitals that patients referred to Laloki would be picked up directly from the airport.
This would be conditional on patients doing their procedures of medical clearance, completion of an involuntary admission form attached to a referral letter, prior communication with their hospital before referral, and possession of a plane ticket.
“Before that circular, patients referred to Laloki from outer provinces had to go through the emergency department of Port Moresby General Hospital and then get admitted from there.
“I realised they were sometimes held up and kept waiting for too long and that is a frustrating experience for both the patient and the escort staff (usually a health worker).
He said the change has proven to be effective and worked well for patients and many mental health staff across the country appreciated the initiative.
He said they were planning on putting this circular into the hospital policies and all the conditions must be met before they receive patients.
“We initially were a bit flexible on tickets but are tightening that up. Patients have to be referred with a return ticket or a guarantee from the referring hospital that they will fund their patients’ return.
“All patients referred have been picked up directly from the airport to Laloki expect a few cases who don’t meet the above set criteria.”