Published Friday, 30 May, 2008 at 10:30 AM
JOINT STATEMENT
Minister for Health
The Honourable Stephen Robertson
Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
NEW ERA IN MATERNITY CARE IS BORN WITH OPENING OF NEW MATER MOTHERS’
More than 260,000 Queensland babies – across three generations – have been born at Brisbane’s Mater Mothers’ and that tradition was preserved today with the opening of the new $188 million Mater Mothers’ Hospital.
Premier Anna Bligh said while the impressive facility marked a new era of maternity health care for Queensland mums, it also had sentimental significance for a lot of Queensland women.
“There are many Queensland women who were born here, and perhaps whose mothers were born here, that return to have their children at Mater Mothers’,” Ms Bligh said.
“This long and proud tradition will now continue as the new Mater Mothers’ becomes the busiest maternity facility in the Southern Hemisphere when it opens to patients next Wednesday,” she said.
The new eight-storey hospital complex delivers on a Queensland Government election commitment and means more beds, improved services and more clinical staff.
“As a Government, we are proud to have invested more than $127.7 million in this premier facility that will deliver better public health services for Queenslander mothers,” Ms Bligh said.
“With its expanded capacity, including more than twice the number of public beds, the new hospital will deliver up to 10,000 babies a year – up from the original hospital’s 8,500.
“The new hospital also delivers improved services – including a dedicated Breastfeeding Support Centre and Midwifery Group Practice program – and more than 100 additional full-time staff to provide the best possible care for patients.
“The project heralds a new era in maternity health care for Queensland mums and reflects our commitment to planning for and managing growth,” she said.
Health Minister Stephen Robertson said: “The hospital will deliver 88 beds for public patients – an increase of 47 – plus 90 beds for private patients; an increase of 21 beds.
“There will be 79 neonatal intensive and special care cots - an increase of 19 cots - for those babies needing special care.
“And the number of birthing suites available for mums will increase from 13 to a total of 16 suites,” he said.
Mr Robertson said that unlike the rooms at the former Mater Mothers’ Hospital, all new rooms now have access to ensuites and personal baby bathing facilities.
“Mater’s proud tradition of quality health services for Queensland families is preserved and enhanced in the new Mater Mothers’.
“We have come a long way from the original hospital that was built using community donations and opened in 1960 – to an integrated tertiary service that will cater to Queensland women’s needs from the moment they become pregnant to their early stages of motherhood,” he said.
The new Mater Mothers’ Hospital services include obstetrics, gynaecology, neonatal, maternal fetal medicine, obstetric medicine, perinatal outreach education and midwifery group practice.
Media: 3224 4500 (Premier’s office) or 3234 1185 (Minister Robertson’s office)
Premier Anna Bligh said while the impressive facility marked a new era of maternity health care for Queensland mums, it also had sentimental significance for a lot of Queensland women.
“There are many Queensland women who were born here, and perhaps whose mothers were born here, that return to have their children at Mater Mothers’,” Ms Bligh said.
“This long and proud tradition will now continue as the new Mater Mothers’ becomes the busiest maternity facility in the Southern Hemisphere when it opens to patients next Wednesday,” she said.
The new eight-storey hospital complex delivers on a Queensland Government election commitment and means more beds, improved services and more clinical staff.
“As a Government, we are proud to have invested more than $127.7 million in this premier facility that will deliver better public health services for Queenslander mothers,” Ms Bligh said.
“With its expanded capacity, including more than twice the number of public beds, the new hospital will deliver up to 10,000 babies a year – up from the original hospital’s 8,500.
“The new hospital also delivers improved services – including a dedicated Breastfeeding Support Centre and Midwifery Group Practice program – and more than 100 additional full-time staff to provide the best possible care for patients.
“The project heralds a new era in maternity health care for Queensland mums and reflects our commitment to planning for and managing growth,” she said.
Health Minister Stephen Robertson said: “The hospital will deliver 88 beds for public patients – an increase of 47 – plus 90 beds for private patients; an increase of 21 beds.
“There will be 79 neonatal intensive and special care cots - an increase of 19 cots - for those babies needing special care.
“And the number of birthing suites available for mums will increase from 13 to a total of 16 suites,” he said.
Mr Robertson said that unlike the rooms at the former Mater Mothers’ Hospital, all new rooms now have access to ensuites and personal baby bathing facilities.
“Mater’s proud tradition of quality health services for Queensland families is preserved and enhanced in the new Mater Mothers’.
“We have come a long way from the original hospital that was built using community donations and opened in 1960 – to an integrated tertiary service that will cater to Queensland women’s needs from the moment they become pregnant to their early stages of motherhood,” he said.
The new Mater Mothers’ Hospital services include obstetrics, gynaecology, neonatal, maternal fetal medicine, obstetric medicine, perinatal outreach education and midwifery group practice.
Media: 3224 4500 (Premier’s office) or 3234 1185 (Minister Robertson’s office)