HEALTH MASTER PLAN RECOMMENDS NEW MACKAY HOSPITAL
Published Tuesday, 15 April, 2008 at 10:53 AM
JOINT STATEMENT
Minister for Health
The Honourable Stephen Robertson
Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
Treasurer
The Honourable Andrew Fraser
Airport sales in Mackay, Cairns and the sale of the State Government’s stake in Brisbane Airport means Mackay, Cairns and Mt Isa will get new hospitals, Premier Anna Bligh told State Parliament this morning.
“My government will by the end of this year sell the airports and immediately begin planning, designing and building a brand new Mackay Base Hospital” said Ms Bligh.
Health Minister Stephen Robertson said the Mackay’s Health Master Plan recommends building a brand new Hospital on the site of the existing facility.
"The Bligh Government has delivered practical plans to transform Mackay Hospital into a new, state of the art health facility that would offer substantially expanded clinical services to the region's residents," Mr Robertson said.
"The Mackay Health Master Plan outlines sensible solutions that would see the Hospital rebuilt in 2 stages at an approximate cost of more than $405 million,” he said.
Member for Mackay Tim Mulherin and Member for Whitsunday Jan Jarratt said that the new Mackay Hospital would be constructed over 4 to 5 years.
“The new facility would provide more operating theatres, a special dedicated Coronary Care Unit and a larger Intensive Care Unit,” said Mr Mulherin.
“There will also be increased Mental Health services, a larger dialysis unit and a staff skill centre.
“The Premier has only been in place for seven months and she’s found a way to deliver us a new hospital sooner than planned,” he said
Ms Jarratt said that Mackay region residents would benefit greatly from the high quality health care offered by the new hospital.
“The Premier told the region’s residents that she would find a solution when she was here last month and today she’s delivered,” said Ms Jarratt.
Mr Robertson said that under the Health Master Plan, Clinical Services would be co-located in a new, 3 storey Acute Hospital building.”
The new facility would also include 8 critical coronary care beds, 9 special care nursery cots and 12 additional beds for those needing mental health care.
"I'm looking forward to working with the local community and health workers to ensure we deliver a new Mackay Hospital that will protect the health of families throughout the region well into the future,” Mr Robertson said.
"It's now vital that Mackay's dedicated health team and the State Government work together with the local community on this important project and I'm looking forward to hearing feedback about the plan.
"To deliver the bricks and mortar the Mackay community needs we must now focus on securing the required funding in the State Budget."
Construction could get underway in late 2009.
The Mackay Health Master Plan recommends
• 2 stage construction on the existing site
• 3.5 years construction timeframe
• 5 years to complete total site re-development
• New Acute Hospital will be able to accommodate a combination of up to 318 overnight and day only beds as services expand
• Stage 1 - New 3 storey acute care Hospital building
• Includes new emergency and outpatients' departments, renal support services, day oncology, dental services unit
• New birthing and delivery suites, new special care nursery (neonatal), intensive care unit and day surgery suites
• Stage 2 – Refurbish existing main building which will be the new home
of non-clinical services
• New inpatient surgery and medical suites
• Parking for 450 cars
• New staff residential accommodation
Media contacts:
Premier’s Office 3224 4500
Treasurer’s Office 3224 5982
Minister Robertson’s Office 3234 1185
Member for Mackay 3239 6530
Member for Whitsunday 4945 3343
“My government will by the end of this year sell the airports and immediately begin planning, designing and building a brand new Mackay Base Hospital” said Ms Bligh.
Health Minister Stephen Robertson said the Mackay’s Health Master Plan recommends building a brand new Hospital on the site of the existing facility.
"The Bligh Government has delivered practical plans to transform Mackay Hospital into a new, state of the art health facility that would offer substantially expanded clinical services to the region's residents," Mr Robertson said.
"The Mackay Health Master Plan outlines sensible solutions that would see the Hospital rebuilt in 2 stages at an approximate cost of more than $405 million,” he said.
Member for Mackay Tim Mulherin and Member for Whitsunday Jan Jarratt said that the new Mackay Hospital would be constructed over 4 to 5 years.
“The new facility would provide more operating theatres, a special dedicated Coronary Care Unit and a larger Intensive Care Unit,” said Mr Mulherin.
“There will also be increased Mental Health services, a larger dialysis unit and a staff skill centre.
“The Premier has only been in place for seven months and she’s found a way to deliver us a new hospital sooner than planned,” he said
Ms Jarratt said that Mackay region residents would benefit greatly from the high quality health care offered by the new hospital.
“The Premier told the region’s residents that she would find a solution when she was here last month and today she’s delivered,” said Ms Jarratt.
Mr Robertson said that under the Health Master Plan, Clinical Services would be co-located in a new, 3 storey Acute Hospital building.”
The new facility would also include 8 critical coronary care beds, 9 special care nursery cots and 12 additional beds for those needing mental health care.
"I'm looking forward to working with the local community and health workers to ensure we deliver a new Mackay Hospital that will protect the health of families throughout the region well into the future,” Mr Robertson said.
"It's now vital that Mackay's dedicated health team and the State Government work together with the local community on this important project and I'm looking forward to hearing feedback about the plan.
"To deliver the bricks and mortar the Mackay community needs we must now focus on securing the required funding in the State Budget."
Construction could get underway in late 2009.
The Mackay Health Master Plan recommends
• 2 stage construction on the existing site
• 3.5 years construction timeframe
• 5 years to complete total site re-development
• New Acute Hospital will be able to accommodate a combination of up to 318 overnight and day only beds as services expand
• Stage 1 - New 3 storey acute care Hospital building
• Includes new emergency and outpatients' departments, renal support services, day oncology, dental services unit
• New birthing and delivery suites, new special care nursery (neonatal), intensive care unit and day surgery suites
• Stage 2 – Refurbish existing main building which will be the new home
of non-clinical services
• New inpatient surgery and medical suites
• Parking for 450 cars
• New staff residential accommodation
Media contacts:
Premier’s Office 3224 4500
Treasurer’s Office 3224 5982
Minister Robertson’s Office 3234 1185
Member for Mackay 3239 6530
Member for Whitsunday 4945 3343