Pledge to expand Redcliffe Hospital

A $6 million pledge by Labor to progress planning for a major expansion of Redcliffe Hospital has kick-started the final week of the State Election campaign.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Steven Miles says the major expansion would ensure the hospital continued to meet the current and future health needs of the region.

“Labor will invest $6 million to progress planning for a major expansion of the Redcliffe Hospital by developing a detailed business case and schematic designs,” Mr Miles says.

“This announcement again demonstrates the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to grow our health system to meet demand and also upgrade and refurbish existing hospitals to ensure local communities are provided with the best care possible from modern contemporary facilities.

What this would deliver

“The major expansion will increase capacity by delivering more inpatient beds, additional surgery capacity, and expanded services for the local community,” Mr Miles says.

“It will also enable new models of care and will enhance opportunities for the development, retention and education of staff.”

Labor Member for Redcliffe Yvette D’Ath says the major expansion would ensure the hospital’s capacity continued to keep pace with projected demand growth in the region.

“The Redcliffe Hospital’s catchment population is projected to grow significantly across all age groupings, with the largest growth expected for people aged 70 years and older,” Ms D’Ath says.

“This major expansion is critical to the delivery of health services to the growing and ageing Redcliffe community. It will ensure communities in this region can continue to access the services they need, when they need them in future.

“This investment is in addition to the recent installation of Redcliffe Hospital’s brand new MRI machine, due to be operational by December this year.”

Will the LNP match it?

When asked the question, LNP candidate for Redcliffe Kerri-Anne Dooley said: "Labor yesterday announced a $1 billion cut to the health budget. Do you really believe they'll be spending $6 million on a planning study?

"The LNP has a fully-costed plan to clear surgery waiting lists - Redcliffe Hospital is in the health district which has the biggest wait list in the state. Almost 2000 people are waiting for life-changing surgery.

"The LNP will spend $54.5 million in the metro north region to clear this backlog and get these 2000 patients the surgery they have been waiting for."

Key project

Labor Member for Bancroft Chris Whiting says the $6 million funding announcement builds on the significant number of upgrades that the Palaszczuk Government has delivered at the hospital.

“This project will complement the initiatives that the Palaszczuk Government has already delivered at the Redcliffe Hospital, including a new operating theatre, refurbishment of the special care nursery to improve flow, reconfiguration of the paediatric inpatient unit, and an additional birthing suite,” Mr Whiting says.

“We also recently opened the new multi-storey car park, and we’re delivering a new MRI machine and a second CT scanner to expand services at the hospital.”

The Deputy Premier says Labor will continue to invest in health care across the Metro North region.

“Since 2015 we’ve hired 417 more doctors, 1,227 more nurses and midwives, 443 more health professionals and 105 more paramedics in Metro North,” Mr Miles says.

“And we have committed to hire even more. A re-elected Palaszczuk Labor Government will hire 274 more doctors, 1,204 more nurses and midwives and 359 more health professionals across the Metro North Hospital and Health Service.”