Hospital adds festive touch

VERY KIWI: Receptionist Karen Allen with the Kiwiana themed Christmas tree in the main entrance.

While workers around the region start to wind down for Christmas, it will be business as usual for staff at Wairarapa Hospital.

But the holiday season is being celebrated with the wards' halls being decked out and a special Christmas lunch will be on the menu for patients and staff.

"Obviously they don't want to be here so we try to make it as special as we can," said Lizle McTavish, the hospital's food service manager.

The kitchen will be cooking up a Christmas lunch with all the trimmings, she said.

Lamb, chicken, vegetables, roast potatoes, pavlova and Christmas pudding are on offer and patients also get Christmas crackers and Christmas mince pies.

Alison Andrews, charge midwife manager, will be working a shift on Christmas Day.

"Maternity operates the same every day of the week."

She said the number of babies born in the hospital this year was expected to be about 500, a figure which was typical for the site.

Ms Andrews said the ward was anticipating some babies to be delivered on the statutory holidays.

"There are some ladies due over Christmas and New Year."

The holiday spirit has definitely come to the hospital, she said.

"We've had little gifts donated by Hadlow School and the Wairarapa Women's Embroidery Guild donated teddies."

To make the wards cheerful, each department competed in a decorating competition, with the maternity ward taking the top prize. It was the first time in a while the hospital had held the competition, said Jan McLaren, Wairarapa DHB communications adviser.