Bowen Hospital’s new medical imaging unit and renal dialysis unit begin taking patients

A generous donation of $1 million means Bowen residents can now access care in the region’s new medical imaging and renal dialysis units.

Bowen Hospital has celebrated the official opening of a $7 million expansion that includes a new medical imaging wing and a purpose-built renal dialysis unit with panoramic views to the ocean.

Special guests at the opening included members of the Isbell family members who represented the Cyril Fortesque Isbell estate.

The estate contributed $1 million towards the project.

Cyril Isbell’s nephew Graham Isbell said he grew up in Collinsville and always regarded Bowen as his ancestral home.

His grandfather John Henry moved to Bowen in 1864, and after the sale of the family’s pastoral holdings in 1967 for a record $1 million, the money was shared between four brothers.

Mr Isbell moved to Sydney where he lived for almost 50 years.

His will made financial provision to support his family, charities and the then Bowen District Hospital.

A CT scanner in the new medical imaging unit at Bowen Hospital. Picture: Katrina Lezaic

A $5 million federal government grant and $1 million from Mackay Hospital and Health Board helped pay for the facilities.

Mackay Hospital and Health Service (HHS) interim chief executive Paula Foley said the expansion would enable patients from Bowen and the surrounding area to access more care closer to their own home.

“The new medical imaging wing offers a comprehensive range of services including a CT scanner which ends the need for Bowen patients to travel to Proserpine or elsewhere for these important scans,” Ms Foley said.

“The expansion of the renal dialysis unit is also significant for the Bowen community as it will provide more dialysis services in their local hospital, meaning it can support more patients and meet the future needs of the community.”

Mackay Hospital and Health Service interim chief executive Paula Foley speaks at the Bowen Hospital. Picture: Katrina Lezaic

Describing the hospital as “iconic”, Bowen resident and Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox said an increase in rural and regional health facilities in Australia was important.

“We shouldn’t have to go to the cities to actually get looked after,” he said.

Director of nursing and facility manager Julie Minogue said the expansion of the hospital was “fantastic news” for the wider Bowen and Collinsville community that her team serves each day.

“On average, previously we would have about three patients a day travel to Proserpine for CT imaging and this will end the need for that travel to take place leading to faster diagnosis and treatment commencing sooner,” she said.

“It’s also exciting for our hospital to have an expansion of the renal dialysis service as it will modernise the care provided at our hospital and enable us to meet the needs of patients – especially those who may be immune compromised or at risk of infection,” she said.

Brian Winterburn is undergoing treatment at Bowen Hospital's new renal dialysis unit. Picture: Katrina Lezaic

Previously undertaking the “nightmare” drive to Mackay three times a week for dialysis treatment, Bowen resident Brian Winterburn started having treatment in the new wing three months ago.

“The anxiety of knowing you’ve got to get up at 5am the next day and drive for 2.5 hours, do dialysis for five hours and drive home for another 2.5 hours – well, I never looked forward to it at all,” he said.

“I do five hours three times a week here.

“Having dialysis is not a really nice thing to do, but having it in an environment like this with the nursing staff that they’ve got here, makes it pretty good.

“I don’t dread coming.”