New Carrara Health Centre officially opens in boost for Gold Coast transitional care

Health Minister Stephen Robertson officially opened the new Carrara Health Centre today in a boost for transitional care on the Gold Coast.

Mr Robertson said the new health care facility, unique to the Gold Coast, would serve as a centre of excellence for rehabilitation and aged services.

“This state of the art 63-bed facility will enhance the existing links between hospital-based acute care and community care on the Gold Coast,” he said.

“It means recovering patients will have access to first class rehabilitation care in a special purpose-built facility after they’re discharged from hospital.

“This will free up acute hospital beds for our sickest patients while ensuring aged patients retain access to the services they need during their recovery.

“The centre is a sign of the Bligh Government’s commitment to ensuring older Queenslanders get the health care they expect and deserve.”

Mr Robertson said the Chisholm Road facility would provide extended care for elderly patients waiting for placement in residential aged care.

“This will involve a range of new services, including sub-acute assessment, dementia management, rehabilitation and extended care,” Mr Robertson said.

“It will benefit patients who have recovered to the point where they no longer require acute hospital care.

“The centre is about providing these patients with a supportive, therapeutic environment where they can access appropriate medical, nursing and allied health services until they’re well enough to return home.”

Special features of the Carrara Health Centre include:

• 63 single rooms with ensuites;
• a multi-purpose rehabilitation treatment area;
• a calm and soothing atmosphere to enhance healing; and
• family-centred dining areas.

Allied health professionals providing services at the centre include: physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, podiatrists, speech pathologists, a psychologist and a dietitian.

A special Sensory Garden is also being planned for the centre as part of a Therapeutic Outdoor Area to aid patient rehabilitation.

The garden will simulate the local environment with street lights, a letter box, clothes line, rainwater tank, wall mounted fountain and café seating and tables.

Mr Robertson said the centre was playing an important role in helping to tackle record demand in the busy Gold Coast public health system.

“The latest Quarterly Public Hospital Performance Report for the September 2008 quarter shows the number of patients treated on the Gold Coast rose over 30 per cent on the same period last year,” Mr Robertson said.

“With this new facility up and running, it means acute beds in our public hospitals are being freed up for elective surgery patients and those requiring more intensive clinical care.

“This is important, because on any given day around 25 acute public hospital beds on the Gold Coast district are taken up by sub-acute patients.”

Mr Robertson said the Carrara Health Centre was part of a major transformation of health infrastructure on the Gold Coast, with the Bligh Government injecting close to $2 billion in capital expenditure to enhance services.

“Health Services at the Gold Coast will be further strengthened when we deliver on our election promises to open the new $1.55 billion 750-bed Gold Coast University Hospital in 2012 and further expand Robina Hospital to open another 179 beds by 2011,” Mr Robertson said.

MEDIA: Martin Philip 3225 2680