Extra facilities announced as work begins on Mount Isa Hospital redevelopment

Work on the new Block D and refurbishment and expansion of the emergency department at the Mount Isa Hospital will officially begin today with a sod-turning ceremony.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Health Paul Lucas will be joined by State Member for Mount Isa Betty Kiernan for the ceremony which takes place following the recent announcement of Evans Harsh Pty Ltd as the successful tenderer for the $65 million development.

Mr Lucas said the Mount Isa Hospital redevelopment project was another milestone in ensuring ongoing patient care in the region with the main hospital redevelopment expected to be completed by April 2012.

“This is a great step forward for the people of Mount Isa and the surrounding Gulf communities,” Mr Lucas said.

The new Block D will provide facilities to accommodate oral health services, an outpatient’s department, extension to the emergency centre and a new community mental health services centre.

Mr Lucas said in addition to the Government’s significant commitment to expand Mount Isa Hospital, the competitive tender process meant that additional work would be carried out.

This includes upgraded maternity and paediatric facilities, additional staff accommodation and further upgrades to Block C.

Oral health services will also benefit from a $2 million contribution from Xstrata which will include four dental chairs, doubling the capacity of the existing service which already provides about 300 treatments a month.

A cutting edge dental laboratory and equipment sterilising room will support the provision of oral health services and will increase the ability of Queensland Health to attract and retain dentists, therapists and technicians to Mount Isa.

Queensland Health acknowledged the generous sponsorship for oral health services received through the Xstrata Community Partnership Program.

Xstrata Copper North Queensland Chief Operating Officer, Steve de Kruijff said delivering essential health and dental services was crucial in developing sustainable communities.

“This partnership with Queensland Health reaffirms our commitment to community health and will ensure the Mount Isa community and surrounding communities have access to a modern public dental health facility, while providing important training opportunities for our future dentists,” Mr de Kruijff said.

“Importantly, our partnership decision to invest in this particular infrastructure project is based on the ever increasing facts and research that good oral hygiene helps in the fight against diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.”

The new outpatients department will increase from 16 to 21 treatment spaces and will include 19 consulting and treatment rooms and will include rooms for women’s health, paediatrics, eye examinations, and an up-to-date audiology testing room.

The construction of Block D will also enable the relocation of community mental health services and include three additional interview rooms, bringing the total number to eight.

“The facility will enable better access to services for adults and children,” Mr Lucas said.

The emergency department refurbishment and expansion will include 15 new treatment bays – from 12 to 27 bays – as well as additional consulting and interview rooms, purpose-built infection control and sexual assault consulting rooms.

The new waiting area will include a children’s play area, parenting room and toilet facilities.

“Office accommodation, education facilities and up-to-date technology will assist staff in providing quality emergency care now and into the future,” Mr Lucas said.

Thanks to very competitive tendering, Queensland Health has also been able to increase the scope of the project to include further upgrading of Block C, upgrading work in the Maternity and Paediatric Wards and further staff residential accommodation.

Queensland Health can also confirm the purchase and construction of four one-bedroom self-contained accommodation units in Mount Isa for dialysis patients from the region.

“There are about 18 dialysis patients in Mount Isa and a number of them are out of town,” Mr Lucas said.

“The thing about dialysis is it requires people to come and be treated for lengthy periods and we’re facing a very serious increase in dialysis needs.

“Obviously doing it at home in most situations is best, but ultimately some people do need dialysis in hospitals in specialist situations.

“This is about providing accommodation for people who need to come to Mount Isa for that dialysis service.”

In 2009, the State Government Sustainable Resource Communities election commitment of $100 million over four years included $6.5 million for Cloncurry Hospital aged care annexe and $1.8 million for health staff housing to support staff retention.

Under this program, $835,000 has also been allocated for the construction and fit out of the accommodation for Mount Isa renal patients to undertake renal dialysis through the Mount Isa satellite dialysis centre.

Media contact: 0427 756 991