A new $24 million, 32-bed multipurpose ward at Royal Darwin Hospital will open this week following long construction delays and severe capacity pressures affecting the hospital that has seen six emergency code yellows this year alone, raising concerns from health staff of an impending “health disaster”.

The newly constructed ward will be phased into use, with roughly 12 beds made available this week for bariatric, renal, and general medical patients. The remaining 20 beds will gradually be opened in the coming weeks, the government said.

Health Minister Steve Edgington said patients’ needs will be better supported by the new ward, with general and shared bays, as well as isolated bays, which enable separation when clinically required.

“This will take a lot of pressure off the hospital overall,” he said. “Having those additional 32 beds, what we have seen over the last few weeks is the hospital reaching capacity. So, at the moment, with the 13 beds open, it’s taking capacity off the ED.”

But the Australian Medical Association said the new ward was not a long-term solution to the problems facing RDH, patients and staff.

The ward will feature a versatile clinical design that includes bedside cardiac monitoring, enhanced isolation capacity, accommodations for bariatric patients, and extra space for individuals with cognitive impairments. It includes a link bridge to the main RDH tower, providing easy access for patients and staff, the government said.

The NT Government allocated an additional $18.3 million to the health budget to establish the new ward this year, which the government said created 130 jobs during construction.

However, construction started in October 2024 with the ward initially billed as opening in 2025, but was later delayed until early 2026. It has now opened in September.

Vice president of the Australia Medical Association NT Dayna Duncan said the new ward was good news, but the system is still in a “downward spiral”.

“[The new ward] is a small release of the pressure valve from the acute situation we find ourselves in,” she told ABC Radio Darwin.

“It’s important to celebrate those little wins, but it’s not a long-term solution to the problem we have in the NT of being constantly over capacity.”

She added nursing staffing issues had particularly contributed to the “downward spiral where our staff our becoming burnt out”.

“They’re suffering…from not being able to provide the gold standard care that they want to provide and this causes people to leave,” Ms Duncan said. “And then we have fewer staff and those who are left are under even more pressure.

“We need to find a way to break the cycle in that downward spiral and that’s about taking the pressure off through systems change…”

Ms Duncan also pointed to the much-needed aged care centre that she said would help reduce the pressures on RDH when it is finally opened.

“We will be holding our breath and waiting for that,” she said.

On Monday, health staff said RDH remains in a “state of disaster” just one week after lifting the most recent code yellow, while calling for its reinstatement.

During the 20 days the recent alert was active, healthcare workers raised concerns about patients being accommodated in chairs, excessive overtime, and sanitation problems.

Unions representing nurses, midwives, and doctors have called for more action to be taken to protect patients and staff.

Mr Edgington said that RDH’s new Mental Health Inpatient Unit is also nearly finished, with internal fittings and connections in progress. This facility will improve acute mental health services in the Top End, offering 24 inpatient beds and a six-bed referral area that he said will also relieve ongoing pressures at RDH.