Patients to benefit from new cardiac facility at Cairns

For the last fortnight, patients have been able to have their heart procedures in the new cardiac catheter laboratory at Cairns Base Hospital which was officially opened by Deputy Premier and Minister for Health Paul Lucas today.

Mr Lucas said coronary angioplasty, an interventional cardiology technique for the treatment of heart disease, had never been available before at Cairns Base Hospital.

“The $4.18 million cardiac catheter laboratory provides the latest facilities to perform cardiac interventions and expands capacity to perform pacemaker insertions and angiograms,” Mr Lucas said.

“We expect 150 to 200 patients will benefit this year as they will no longer have to travel to Townsville or Brisbane for their procedure.

“Since the laboratory opened on 27 July, 23 procedures have already been conducted.

“The introduction of the new laboratory will free up beds at Cairns Base Hospital as these patients won’t have to wait in a hospital bed for a transfer south for their procedure.

“It will also free up operating theatre time for other procedures and help reduce patient waiting lists.”

Coronary angioplasty involves opening up narrowed or blocked coronary arteries with a balloon and inserting a coil stent to ensure they remain open.

In 2007, cardiovascular disease was the primary cause of death for over 46,000 Australians – representing one third of all deaths that year.

Member for Cairns Desley Boyle said despite major gains against cardiovascular disease over the last 40 years, it continued to have a major effect on the health of Australians.

Mortality rates for cardiovascular disease have decreased by 75 per cent, but it is the second leading cause of healthy years lost.

“As part of the clinical service planning for the Cairns Base Hospital redevelopment, public angioplasty services were identified as a high priority for Cairns,” Ms Boyle said.

“The fact that we now have the latest technology and digital imaging equipment required to perform these procedures at Cairns Base Hospital is absolutely excellent news for the Cairns community.”

Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt said cardiovascular disease remained Australia’s biggest killer.

“We’re extremely pleased to see cardiologists conducting low to intermediate risk angioplasties at the new cardiac catheter lab at Cairns Base Hospital,” Mr Pitt said.

“Around 80 per cent of all angioplasty patients from far north Queensland will now be able to undergo their procedure close to home at Cairns Base Hospital.

“Only high risk patients will need to travel to Townsville or Brisbane now as high risk procedures must take place where cardiothoracic surgical back up is available.”

Member for Barron River Steve Wettenhall said the new cardiac catheter laboratory was located in the Medical Imaging Department.

“A new 16-bed recovery area for all medical imaging patients has been completed at the same time,” Mr Wettenhall said.

“This project also included the construction of a control room, equipment room, write-up office, store room, changing room, new staff station and patient bathroom facilities.

“All of this work has been undertaken as part of the $446.3 million redevelopment of Cairns Base Hospital.”

Member for Cook Jason O’Brien said the redevelopment would be extremely beneficial for the wider far north Queensland community.

“The redevelopment will provide an additional 168 overnight and same day beds by the end of 2014, bringing the total to 531 beds,” Mr O’Brien said.

Mr O’Brien said when complete in 2014, the redeveloped hospital would provide new and improved health services, including:

• an ambulatory cancer care centre with a new radiation oncology service
• additional cardiac care facilities
• additional surgical capacity including increased day surgery
• expanded intensive care capacity
• expanded birthing services, special care nursery and a new low risk birth centre
• additional aged care and rehabilitation services
• additional beds for mental health services.

In addition to the $446.3 million State Government funding for the redevelopment, the Australian Government has provided $8.3 million for cancer services in Cairns.

Enhancements of the existing cancer services at Cairns Base Hospital include:

• two linear accelerator (Linac) machines used for radiation therapy, which will allow approximately 380 far north Queenslanders to access radiation therapy in Cairns for the first time
• at least six additional chemotherapy treatment places
• eight additional inpatient cancer beds by 2013 with the capacity to accommodate a further four beds by 2016/17
• five acute palliative care inpatient beds by 2013.

Ends.

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