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Media Releases My electorate office distributes information which is important to the Southport electorate in particular, and the Gold Coast in general. This information goes to the print and electronic media, however due to space or time constraints it doesn’t always get printed or broadcast. Through my website however, you can access all news stories which emanate from my office and thus keep up-to-date with State Government issues relating to Southport.
Minister Announces Boost for Gold Coast Hospital |
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| Posted by Administrator (admin) on Oct 27 2004 |
| Media Releases >> |
QUEENSLAND Minister for Health Gordon Nuttall today announced a number of initiatives to boost health services on the Gold Coast, including a plan to ease pressure on the Gold Coast Hospital Emergency department.
"While the Government is planning for the future, we are also very conscious of the immediate needs in an area, which population-wise, has grown beyond all expectations,'' Mr Nuttall said.
"I have been working with Queensland Health and the Gold Coast Hospital to ensure short and long-term improvements to hospital services,'' Mr Nuttall said.
Initiatives outlined by the Minister today included:
• Extension of the hours for Fast Track - a service that treats Category 4 and Category 5 Emergency Department presentations quickly and separately from emergency presentations.
• Creation of an interim admission ward for those ED patients treated and awaiting admission to wards in the Gold Coast Hospital.
• Full redevelopment of the ED and critical support services areas on the Southport Campus, in line with the Gold Coast Master Plan which is being reviewed and updated.
Mr Nuttall also said work would be fast-tracked on the new ED at Robina, which is now expected to be completed by late 2006.
A new High Dependency Unit, to cater for patients needing a higher level of care at Robina, will be ready early next year.
"The new HDU will increase capacity for more complex patients to be treated at Robina and the new ED will accommodate much of the expected demand for services in the southern part of the Gold Coast,'' Mr Nuttall said.
The Government has committed $16 million over three years for staged development of services at Robina, plus $9.5 million in capital expenditure.
"The Gold Coast Hospital is a major health facility with high quality staff, serving a rapidly growing population.
"The Government recognises that the extra population places greater demands on our health services and appropriately we are allocating extra time, money and resources into ensuring a continuing first-class system."
Mr Nuttall said the extended hours for the Fast Track department will commence before the busy Christmas-New Year holiday season.
In recognition of the future profile needs of the Gold Coast Hospital, a Tertiary Services Plan is also being developed.
"The plan will take into consideration the services offered by Princess Alexandra, the Mater and Royal Brisbane Hospitals as well as northern New South Wales,'' Mr Nuttall said.
Gold Coast Hospital is also to get a major new, $4,400,000 specialised laboratory to treat up to 2,000 patients a year who suffer from heart disease, which will come into service early next year.
"The lab will include nearly $2.5 million worth of new state-of-the-art equipment,'' Mr Nuttall said.
"Waiting times for diagnoses will be shorter, so it's a win-win situation for residents of the Gold Coast."
New technology will take better internal pictures of the body, minimising the use of x-rays in diagnostic tests for heart disease.
The laboratory will also be capable of intervention treatment. Instead of open heart surgery to bypass blocked arteries, a long thin tube, or catheter is placed into the heart to measure heart pressures, inject dye, take x-ray pictures and unblock arteries.
"The new centre will take up a full wing on the top floor of the Gold Coast Hospital's tower block on Southport Campus," Mr Nuttall said.
Other election commitments already underway in the region include $6.3 million to open eight additional chairs in the Gold Coast renal service.
Extra doctors, nurses and support staff the Fast Track and emergency department will be employed.
Last changed: [PUBLISHED_DATE] at 12:00 AM
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