Major M'boro Hospital upgrades near halfway mark

WBHHS Director of Infrastructure and Assets Peter Heath said the upgrades are expected to be finished by March next year

Design concepts of the new emergency department at the Maryborough Hospital. Picture: Contributed

PLUMBING, air-conditioning and electrical work in the Maryborough Hospital are the latest signs the new specialist outpatient and emergency departments are taking shape.

Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service director of infrastructure and assets Peter Heath said the upgrades are expected to be finished by March next year.

An artists impression of the ED nurses station. Picture: Contributed

The upgrades, which started in June, are part of a $10 million project between the State Government and WBHHS.

So far, they have almost reached the halfway mark.

Demolition and asbestos removal has taken place and workers have installed internal partition walls and the air-conditioning.

Mr Heath said the upgrades need to be carefully staged to allow services to continue.

"Once this stage of the project is complete, the emergency department will move temporarily into the completed specialist outpatient area to allow for its own upgrade to get under way. It is expected the entire project will be finished by early 2020," Mr Heath said.

The hospital's Specialist Outpatients consulting room. Picture: Contributed

"We're excited to see it coming to fruition because it will increase capacity and will greatly improve functionality and flow for our patients and staff."

The emergency department will grow in capacity from 17 to 21 treatment spaces with a new procedure room fitted out while the specialist outpatients department will increase from 10 to 13 consultation rooms and incorporate more procedure and family rooms.

Work progressing on the Maryborough hospital, with the hallways under construction. Picture: Contributed

Mechanical and electrical upgrades at the hospital were delayed for several weeks after construction company Sommer and Staff went bust.

But Mr Heath said the company was engaged for upgrades on a seperate project and their administration "had no significant impact on the work to the emergency and specialist outpatient departments".

Scaffolding around the building. The upgrade to the specialist outpatient and main reception areas is almost halfway to being complete, and is due to be finished by March 2019. Picture: Contributed

"The Queensland Government's Building and Asset Services unit is now managing the mechanical and electrical upgrade," he said.