Nambour General Hospital’s refurbished emergency department opens

A major refurbishment of a Sunshine Coast hospital’s emergency department is the final stage of an $86m redevelopment and includes 12 additional beds and a dedicated treatment zone for children.

The redevelopment of a SEQ hospital’s emergency department is officially open with a state-of-the-art facility including 12 additional beds and a dedicated treatment zone for children.

The Nambour General Hospital’s redeveloped emergency department has been officially opened, with Premier Steve Miles in attendance today, August 30.

The redeveloped emergency department is part of an $86m overhaul of the ageing health facility.

Twelve beds were added, boosting the department to 44 beds in total including acute, short-stay and “fast-track” beds, as well as three resuscitation bays.

It also features a dedicated acute treatment zone for children.

The triage area includes private assessment rooms, which play an important role in improving patient flow, while also offering patients more discretion when needed.

The emergency department is the last major section of the Nambour General Hospital redevelopment to be opened.

Premier Steven Miles with Robert Skelton at the Nambour Hospital with Mereana Harrod and son Jai 20mnths old from Bli Bli. Pic Annette Dew office of the Premier

Since opening on June 12, more than 8500 patients including 1000 children have been treated in the new emergency department.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles said the record-breaking health budget was delivering more beds, more healthcare services and more local jobs.

“Nambour is expected to grow 11 per cent by 2036, and so we are building a hospital that will service the community needs now, and as it continues to grow,” he said.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said she was excited to see the completion of the project for the Nambour community.

“This upgrade is part of our government’s $86 million investment into redeveloping the Nambour General Hospital, which has almost doubled the number of beds from 137 to 255,” she said.

Premier Steve Miles speaking at the Nambour Hospital.

Member for Nicklin Rob Skelton said it was an investment in the future health of a growing region.

“The residents of the northern and hinterland areas of the Sunshine Coast deserve access to quality healthcare, and they will now be able to access emergency care in a modern, fit-for-purpose ED closer to home,” he said.

Sunshine Coast Health Chief Executive Dr Peter Gillies said with the emergency departments busier than ever, the upgraded and expanded facility at Nambour was helping frontline teams tackle the growing demand.