Hospital upgrades mean more choices for pregnant women and faster emergency department

Redlands mums to be have been opting to travel to the Gold Coast to give birth, however upgrades to Redland hospital will now give them better choices locally.

Health Minister Steven Miles and Ministers Kim Richards, Don Brown and Mick de Brenni look at plans at the site of a new Birthing Suite and emergency department at Redland hospital. Picture: AAP/Jono Searle

MUMS to be will no longer need to travel to the Gold Coast for more birthing options with upgrades to Redland Hospital’s birthing suites expected to open by mid-2020.

The upgrade will introduce an additional birthing suite to the hospital’s maternity service - which facilitates the around 1800 births each year - as well as three birthing pools, giving Redlands mothers the option of a water birth in a public hospital.

$1 A WEEK FOR THE FIRST 8 WEEKS. Min. cost $4

Member for Redlands Kim Richards said the new facilities meant women had more choices around how they would like to give birth.

“The community is really excited about having more options here for birthing, and we know we have had women going down to the Gold Coast (to give birth) so this is fantastic,” Ms Richards said.

The new maternity facilities are part of a $1.73 million expansion of Redlands hospital, including four new short-stay beds in the emergency department.

Health Minister Steven Miles, who toured the hospital yesterday said more beds in the emergency department would both increase the department’s capacity and help the region’s ambulance drivers get back on the road faster.

Health Minister Steven Miles (centre, with paramedics L-R Arquita Daly and Troy Newton) says upgrades to the Redland Hospital emergency department meant ambulances could be back on the road faster after delivering a patient to hospital. Picture: AAP/Jono Searle

Member for Springwood Mick di Brenni said the expansion would ultimately ease increasing pressure on the hospital service.

“Demand for healthcare services across the region continues to grow, with admissions to Redland hospital increasing by 8.6 per cent each year over the past five years,” he said.

The expansion will increase the total number of emergency department short-stay beds to 14, and birthing suites to seven.

A $1.5 million preliminary business case to identify other options to increase capacity at the hospital is also underway.