$7m hospital expansion eases the burden on Bowen patients

New facilities will cater to a ‘dire need’ for expanded health services for Bowen and Collinsville.

A $7m expansion of Bowen Hospital will lead to faster diagnoses, and decreased stress on both local patients and neighbouring health services.

A new wing incorporating a CT scanner, and renal dialysis equipment is expected to be completed by December this year, with supporters gathering at the site on Friday to celebrate the beginning of construction.

Situated at the front of the hospital site, the new purpose-built facilities will be more easily accessible than the hospital’s existing dialysis facilities, plus patients will be able to look out on an incredible view of Bowen while receiving treatment.

There will be ample room to expand the existing dialysis offering, with hopes to eventually have up to six beds available.

Nursing Director Julie Minogue said this would save the hospital sending two to three patients a day away to Proserpine for CT scans, and 40 to 50 people a month to Mackay or Townsville to access services.

She said it was great news not only for Bowen patients, but especially for patients from Collinsville, who have historically had to travel even greater distances to access the care they need.

“People having cancer treatment, who need regular CT scans, they would have to travel for that, then come back, then go away again for their appointments as well.

“And for elderly people, who don’t have the means to get to a CT, it’s definitely beneficial having a local hospital where they can get their CT done and then go back to their GP.”

Ms Minogue said patient travel cost the hospital more than $1m a year, and the new facilities were guaranteed to bring that cost down.

Bryan Ryle, a retired ambulance officer of 45 years and now a member of the hospital’s community reference group, saw first hand the toll long journeys could take on Bowen patients who previously had to travel to places like Mackay, Townsville and Home Hill for treatment, with some patients even choosing to stop treatment because of this.

“I used to drop them off at 8am and sometimes you wouldn’t pick them up until five o’clock in the afternoon,” Bryan said.

“I remember one old bloke who said to me ‘I’m not going back anymore’.

“He’d had enough of the travelling.

“There was another lady who used to catch a bus and couldn’t get home until very late at night.

“And for anyone who had a neck injury, they’d have to wear that collar for hours, because you can’t take that off until you get a CT scan.”

The development is possible thanks to $5m federal government funding, a $1m Mackay Hospital and Health Services contribution, and a $1m bequest from the estate of former Bowen resident Cyril Isbell.

The aim is to spend no less than 80 per cent of construction costs spent locally.

Regional Health Assistant Minister Julieanne Gilbert said there would be up to 80 workers on site and 55 jobs would go directly to local tradies.

The Mackay MP said the Queensland Government had also allocated $700,000 for a preliminary business case to redevelop the Bowen Hospital.

The project was initially slated for completion in May this year, after Health Minister Greg Hunt made the federal government funding commitment in early 2019.

Mackay Hospital and Health Board Acting Chair Darryl Camilleri explained additional time spent on the design would result in a bigger, better facility that would pave the way for future developments at the hospital.

He said it was important the new medical imaging building and the recently refurbished emergency department could be incorporated into future designs and building work.

“We are looking forward to progressing the preliminary business case to ensure Bowen Hospital has the health infrastructure and services it needs in the future,” he said.

The expanded renal space will have room to isolate infectious or immuno-compromised patients and a reverse osmosis unit to purify and filter the water.

The service currently has three chairs offering 18 sessions over six days a week.