32 new beds on the way for Caboolture Hospital

Caboolture Hospital will receive an extra 32 beds by early next year as demand for health care in the region grows.

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Cameron Dick said $13.39 million in funding would see the establishment and opening of an additional 32 bed adult inpatient ward at the hospital by early 2017.

“This funding injection will increase the number of inpatient beds at the hospital to 265 and the number of adult patient beds to 123, which gives the hospital the ability to treat more patients than ever before,” he said.

“Extra beds in this major hospital for the area will not only help meet future demand for health services in the region, but will also allow the hospital to support and treat an additional 2500 adult patients every year.

“This funding will have a positive impact on patient waiting times at the hospital, as well as providing a critical step toward enhancing inpatient, outpatient and surgical services at Caboolture.”

Mr Dick said the funding would be delivered through the Metro North Hospital and Health Service, which has a 2015-2016 budget of $2.173 billion – an increase of $84.8 million on the service’s previous budget.

Member for Pumicestone Rick Williams said the beds would be distributed across a range of adult specialties, including coronary and cardiac care, as well as general medicine.

“Caboolture Hospital is already dealing with about 28,000 inpatient admissions each year and we know that number is set to rise,” he said.

“These additional resources will no doubt be welcomed by both hospital staff and the community alike, especially adults living in the Caboolture area suffering specific health problems like heart troubles.”

Member for Morayfield Mark Ryan said the funding injection would also allow for the upgrade of other areas of the hospital, which would enhance the facility’s overall capability to cater for more people.

“The funding will also see the modernisation of the hospital kitchen to meet increased inpatient demand, and the relocation of existing IT infrastructure and administrative services, so it marks a win for the hospital as a whole,” he said.

Metro North HHS Board Chair Dr Paul Alexander said the expansion of adult inpatient capacity represented the service’s commitment to enhancing infrastructure and services at the grass roots level where they are needed.

“In the coming years, Metro North will experience the third largest population growth rate in the state, and this growth will be significant in Caboolture and surrounding regions,” he said.

“Our projections show that there will be a 55 per cent increase or an additional 71,056 people move into Caboolture and surrounding suburbs by 2026, so it’s vital that our service has the capacity to cater for this growth.”

Caboolture Hospital Staff Specialist Dr Iain Borthwick welcomed the new ward and the opportunities it presented for enhancing patient treatment and services.

“This new ward will provide better care for patients suffering from dementia and other complex medical conditions,” he said.

“Once complete, we will also be able to provide more specialised care to patients who have suffered a stroke.”

Caboolture Hospital currently has three adult inpatient wards, as well as specialist inpatient areas for surgery, emergency medicine, critical and intensive care, paediatrics, mental health and maternity.