South Ripley satellite hospital: Plans for new healthcare facility to be built on Barrams Rd

A new hospital is being built in one of Queensland’s fastest-growing suburbs but it won’t include any new beds or an emergency department. See the plans.

A new $40 million satellite hospital in one of Australia’s fastest-growing suburbs will be built within the next two years but it won’t include any new beds or another public emergency department for Ipswich’s exploding population.

The State Government says the healthcare facility is one of seven being built in high growth areas around Queensland, a rollout which has been slammed by the LNP as inadequate.

Construction is set to start in January on a 2.7 hectare site in the Providence housing estate in South Ripley, with the facility designed to ease pressure on public hospitals in the state’s fastest-growing city.

Artist impression of the satellite hospital to be built in South Ripley.

Springfield’s first public hospital just 15 minutes away is expected to be operational by late 2024 and patients have faced extensive wait times at Ipswich Hospital this year due to a “deluge” of demand.

Ipswich’s population is set to increase from 230,000 to 558,000 in the next 20 years.

About 70 per cent of that growth is expected to happen along or adjacent to the corridor between Ipswich Central and Springfield Central, which takes in Ripley.

The site for the satellite hospital on Barrams Road was already earmarked as a healthcare precinct in the Ripley Valley Master Plan.

The facility is expected to be operational in 2023.

Providence estate is already home to two state schools opened last year.

Bundamba MP Lance McCallum said it would provide “community health services like renal dialysis, chemotherapy, complex wound management and urgent care for minor injury and illness”.

A Queensland Health project brief noted it would be tailored to the needs of the community with local residents now asked to provide feedback about the project.

Plans by Queensland Health for the $40 million facility.

“Each healthcare facility will deliver a range of services depending on the needs of the local community and will incorporate outpatient community-based health services with virtual healthcare opportunities,” it noted.

“The purpose of these healthcare facilities is to specifically target early intervention and provide day therapy services, including renal dialysis, chemotherapy and other services, instead of providing overnight beds.

“This will help to free up capacity and increase bed availability in our other larger, public hospitals.

“The satellite hospital facilities will support emergency departments at major hospitals by giving people the option to access healthcare through minor injury and illness clinics within their local community.

“A range of services are being considered for each satellite hospital site including community health services, ambulatory and low acuity day therapy services such as renal dialysis, chemotherapy, complex wound management, urgent care for minor injury and illness, and outpatient activities.

The facility will be built on a 2.7-hectare site in the Providence housing estate.

“The facilities will not have an emergency department.

“These facilities will not provide drug and alcohol rehabilitation services.

“Ambulances will only access the facility in minor situations such as to collect a patient for transporting to a major hospital, or to deliver a patient who requires minor treatment for an injury or access to a day therapy such as chemotherapy.”

Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said more was needed to support these rapidly growing parts of the state.

“There will not be one new overnight bed at these satellite hospitals,” she said.

““These aren’t satellite hospitals, they’re health centres.

“A hospital has a theatre, emergency department and overnight beds.

“If your child has an asthma attack or your grandparent breaks a hip, a satellite hospital won’t help.

“The LNP has put solutions on the table including more beds, better triage and giving power back to the frontline staff to make better decisions to improve patient care.”

The formal public consultation period for the facility site is open until October 8.

You can make a formal submission here or by or by emailing [e-mail]

Read more stories by Lachlan McIvor here.