Innisfail Hospital helipad closed after woman in her 80s injured, sending choppers elsewhere

A Far North businessman who donated thousands of dollars to Innisfail Hospital has shared his thoughts on the shut down of its helipad. Why he helped, and why he is now concerned.

UPDATE, SUNDAY, AUGUST 21: Innisfail resident Salvatore ‘Sam’ Catalano has been a compassionate and generous donor to the Innisfail Hospital and his funds have greatly benefited patient transport.

He’s now very concerned, however, about the condition of the hospital’s helipad, which was closed after an incident in July, and hopes to see the issue resolved soon.

“If someone’s in great danger, every minute counts,” he said.

“I have heard people talking around town wanting this fixed quickly. I’m sure the powers that be can find a solution.”

Salvatore ‘Sam’ Catalano (centre) donated $25,000 to Innisfail Hospital through his charitable foundation so the facility was able to purchase a motorised trolley for safe patient transport between the emergency department and the helipad. Picture: supplied

Mr Catalano was born in Innisfail and has profited from his agricultural and business projects in the region.

He now donates large sums of money back into his home community, particularly its health infrastructure, as he knows all too well how essential a local healthcare sector is to the wellbeing of residents.

“It’s a great thing having a hospital in Innisfail,” he said.

The Catalano Family Foundation donated $55,000 to the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation to purchase new imaging equipment for the Cairns Hospital intensive care unit. Salvatore Catalano and Leanne Sultana from the Catalano Family Foundation and Cairns Hospital ICU director Drew Wenck with the new scope purchased by the foundation. Picture: Brendan Radke

Mr Catalano established a charitable foundation in his family’s name after the loss of his wife and daughter.

The foundation donated $55,000 to intensive care at Cairns Hospital in 2020, as well as $25,000 to Innisfail Hospital, in December 2021, that was used to purchase a motorised patient trolley.

Mr Catalano said he asked hospital staff what they needed and the trolley was what they identified, specifically because it would provide safe patient transport between the hospital’s emergency department and helipad.

Innisfail Hospital was contacted for comment.

AN 82-YEAR-OLD woman is understood to have been knocked over and injured by the downdraught of a helicopter at Innisfail Hospital as it hovered above the hospital’s helipad.

The incident, which occurred in July, closed the hospital’s helipad while a WHS investigation proceeds, meaning patients are now being transported by Queensland Ambulance Service to Mundoo Aerodrome, 6km from the hospital.

“Our team is working closely with QGAir and Retrieval Services Queensland to identify whether safety upgrades to the helipad are needed,” a CHHHS spokesman said.

“Pending the outcome of the investigation, which is due to be finalised shortly, helicopters will continue to land at Mundoo aerodrome.”

A Queensland Rescue helicopter landing at the Innisfail Hospital's helipad.

Local residents are concerned the closure of the helipad will have adverse effects on quality of patient treatment due to extended patient transport times.

“It’s about time someone did a proper risk assessment,” said Graham Smith, an Innisfail resident of more than 50 years.

“It’s a fairly harrowing experience having to be transported that extra time.

“It seems stupid to us that this important function has been closed because someone was blown over. Do people get blown over when medical helicopters land at Cairns?”

CARDWELL

Opposition spokesman for Rural and Regional Affairs Dale Last, himself a former first responder, said the extra transport time as a result of this incident had the potential to be detrimental to patient outcomes.

“When a patient is critically ill or injured, time is the difference between life and death,” he said.

“It is eight minutes from the hospital to the nearest aerodrome in Innisfail. That’s eight additional minutes away from critical care at a larger hospital.”

The CHHHS spokesman said it was not the first time the patient rescue helicopter had been temporarily relocated away from the hospital.

“The service was shifted to Mundoo aerodrome from August-November 2021 while construction work was carried out at Innisfail Hospital.”

The injured woman was treated at Innisfail Hospital and has since been released.

Queensland Ambulance Service has been contacted for comment.

Originally published as Innisfail Hospital helipad closed after woman in her 80s injured, sending choppers elsewhere