REDCLIFFE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT TO QUARDRUPLE IN SIZE

Redcliffe Hospital’s new emergency department will quadruple in size and double the number of emergency treatment beds for the growing Bayside community, Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today.

Mr Robertson inspected the start of construction of the Beattie Government’s

$22.34 million project at Redcliffe which includes a redeveloped emergency department and new specialist outpatient department.

“The new emergency department will mean better working conditions for emergency staff and better health services for Redcliffe and surrounding areas,” Mr Robertson said.

“When completed in early 2008, the hospital will have the first-class facilities, equipment and staff needed to meet the growing health care needs of the local community.

“The project will increase the number of treatment beds in the ED from 21 to 41 in addition to new resuscitation and cardiac intervention bays.

“The redevelopment, incorporating world’s best practice design, will allow more emergency staff to efficiently deliver high quality care in a more modern environment.

Mr Robertson said the Beattie Government had also committed an extra $10 million towards the running of the new ED when completed in early 2008.

“This will help progressively increase clinical staffing levels by 50 full-time equivalent positions including 15 medical, 31 nursing and five allied health,” he said.

“It was designed to ensure staff can work efficiently and effectively and include features that could potentially reduce waiting times and make patients more comfortable.

“The area will be four times larger than the existing site and ambulance and public access will also be greatly improved.

“The ED is currently treating approximately 45,000 patients a year and the redevelopment will prepare Redcliffe for a projected 50,000 presentations.

“The Prince Charles Hospital’s new ED is expected to take some pressure off Redcliffe when it starts operating later this year.”

Mr Robertson said the new Redcliffe ED would also feature a five station triage zone, run by a senior doctor and senior nurse, to fast-track assessment and allow for early medical intervention and better planning of ongoing care.

“Patients with some specified minor injuries will be treated by a nurse practitioner in a six bed ‘fast track zone’ which will let them return to the comfort of their own homes faster,” he said.

“The project will also include a new specialist outpatients department, approximately double the current size and provider greater support for new and innovative models of care,” he said.

“People will be able to move through the hospital system more easily and it will be easier to see a doctor, receive a diagnosis and organise theatre dates all in the one day if necessary.”

The new ED and outpatients department were designed after extensive research and consultation with medical staff, allied health staff, ambulance staff and patients.

15 January,  2007
MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185