Admin block and additional parking spaces confirmed for old Roma Hospital site

The vacant block next to Roma Hospital is set to house a second-hand demountable as an admin building, and provide about 100 extra parking spots. Find out more.

The plans for the future of the old Roma Hospital site have been finalised after more than three years in limbo.

The opening of the new hospital in 2021 was welcome, as it allowed for more comprehensive care for residents without having to travel hundreds of kilometres.

The parcel of land next to Roma Hospital had lain vacant since 2021, after the demolition of the old hospital building in 2021.

Now, the South West Hospital and Health service has said the land will be used to house an administration block and additional carparking.

SWHHS chief executive, Anthony Brown, said an administration block was always on the cards for the site.

“Plans for the carpark expansion and office building were revealed during a community engagement meeting in Roma on 29 May,” Dr Brown said.

“Over the next months, we will be relocating a demountable office building from the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Brisbane to the old Roma Hospital site.

“This building is less than 12 months old and has been used as an executive office building but is now surplus to QEII’s requirements due to other capital infrastructure developments there.

“Once relocated to Roma and erected, the demountable building will provide additional, separate administration office space for the South West Hospital and Health Service.

“Having a new administration building next to the hospital will enable greater synergy in the way our staff interact to deliver a high level of healthcare to the community.”

Roma Hospital.

The block will also provide about 100 extra parking spaces.

“We are aware that many staff and visitors are parking on easements around the hospital or along the road,” Dr Brown said.

“The creation of significant additional carparking spaces will address community concerns expressed about the parking overflow in the area.”

In the period of community consultation, a helicopter landing site was proposed as a good use for the vacant space.

Dr Brown said independent analysis determined it was not the best outcome.

“We commissioned independent consultant PSNK Aeronautical Services to study the feasibility of a helicopter landing site,” Dr Brown said.

“The analysis recognised there was potential for increased helicopter aeromedical retrieval activity at Roma Airport.

“However, retrieval activity analysed for the 2022-23 financial year showed only 7.2 per cent of retrievals landing at Roma Airport were by helicopter with the remainder being by fixed wing aircraft.

“As a result, most aeromedical retrievals to Roma would continue to have to use the airport, with patients then being transported by road ambulance the short 4.5km distance from the airport to the hospital, as they do now.

“The analysis found that the establishment of an on-site helicopter landing site would require significant capital expenditure.”

“Landing patients by helicopter at the old hospital site also would result in a less than ideal patient transfer experience, with patients having to be moved between the hospital and the helipad through public areas of the hospital.

“Incoming helicopters also would have to pass over and land close to Westhaven Residential Aged Care facility which would have adverse effects on the residents due to noise and rotor wash.

“The analysis concluded that the ongoing use of the existing aeromedical transport facilities and equipment based at the Roma Airport combined with the available safe, secure, and private patient travel capabilities by road ambulance directly to the hospital, was a superior alternative to establishing a helipad onsite at Roma Hospital.”

Originally published as Admin block and additional parking spaces confirmed for old Roma Hospital site