Labor plan to spend $10 million upgrading Redcliffe Hospital’s emergency department

If elected Labor have promised to spend $10 million on a specialised paediatrics area in the emergency department at one of southeast Queensland’s busiest hospitals.

Labor plans to spend $10 million upgrading Redcliffe Hospital’s emergency department.

Redcliffe Hospital is once again the battleground for the marginal Federal seat of Petrie, with Labor pledging to spend $10 million upgrading the emergency department if elected.

It follows commitments from both the Liberal and Labor parties to provide a Medicare subsidised MRI licence to Redcliffe Hospital.

Federal Shadow Minister for Health Catherine King and federal candidate for Petrie Corinne Mulholland are today expected to announce plans for a $10 million upgrade of the Redcliffe Hospital emergency department.

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Federal Labor candidate for Petrie Corinne Mulholland (right) and Shadow Health Minister Catherine King (middle) on a visit to Redcliffe Hospital.

The upgrade, which will involve a minor extension of the building, is proposed to increase the capacity of the emergency department and provide a dedicated paediatrics area.

This issue was raised by state Shadow Health minister Ros Bates when she visited the hospital two weeks ago.

She called on the State Government to streamline the hospital’s emergency department with areas for children, elderly and those with mental health issues.

Mrs King said the redesign would provide five additional assessment spaces, four short stay spaces and a small internal waiting space for children.

“There is a growing need for these changes: emergency department visits for children at Redcliffe Hospital are projected to increase from 13,307 presentations in 2016-17 to 15,811 presentations in 2026-27,” she said.

Ms Mulholland said she visited the hospital in October last year and spoke with doctors in the emergency department.

“They told us that it is essential they get an MRI machine but they are in desperate need for more space in the emergency department, particularly for the specialist treatment of young people,” she said.

The Federal LNP Government has provided the State Government with a subsidised MRI licence, but State Health Minister Steven Miles is yet to announce when the scanner will be installed and ready for use.

Federal LNP MP for Petrie Luke Howarth would not state if he would be matching the funding.

“The Federal Government should not be bailing out the Queensland State Labor Government for not prioritising our hospitals- we have delivered an additional $310M for Metro North Health (funding increased from $506M in 2013 to $816M in the 2017/18 Federal Budget), where is that funding going?” Mr Howarth said.

“We have delivered a MRI machine licence, where is the machine, they are all talk and no action.”