The Palaszczuk Government has today announced a $62 million Stage 1 expansion of Redland Hospital including a new Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 32-bed ward.
Detailed planning will also kick off on Stage 2 of the hospital expansion thanks to a $6 million detailed business case funded by the Palaszczuk Government.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Steven Miles said the upgrade would be fast-tracked for delivery, with Stage 1 expected to be completed in late 2022.
“The people of the Redlands Coast and Bay Islands told us they wanted an ICU, and that’s exactly what the Palaszczuk Government is delivering,” Mr Miles said.
“Stage 1 will deliver critical care close to home for this growing community with a new six-bed ICU and new 32-bed ward.
“A number of existing areas in the hospital will also be refurbished as part of Stage 1.
“Not only will this deliver world-class health facilities for the Redlands community, but this investment will support 179 construction jobs which is critical for our economic recovery.
“As we unite and recover from COVID-19, we’re investing in projects that support local jobs and help jumpstart the economy.
“We are also investing $6 million to kick-start detailed planning on Stage 2, which will involve a bigger upgrade and major expansion of the hospital.”
Member for Redlands Kim Richards said the major expansion will transform the community hospital into a metropolitan hospital.
“We’ve got big plans for Redland Hospital, and this upgrade will pave the way for a major Redland Hospital expansion in the future,” Ms Richards said.
“Over the past five years alone, Redland Hospital has seen a 34 per cent growth in admissions and a 22 per cent increase in outpatient appointments.
“Stage 2 will be a larger expansion project that increases the hospital’s self-sufficiency, which will allow the community to access more services closer to home and will reduce pressure on other hospitals.”
“Recently we opened the $1.73 million Emergency Department Short Stay and Birthing Unit Expansions, including the introduction of water birthing.
“It’s great to be here at Redland Hospital announcing even more healthcare services for the amazing people of our local community.”
Member for Capalaba Don Brown said the commitment comes off the back of a $50.5 million multi-level car park announcement, which will see 713 undercover parking spaces built on site, with the potential to double its capacity in the future if needed.
“It was only a few weeks ago that we were here announcing a multi-level car park at Redland Hospital,” Mr Brown said.
“The car park will not only improve access for patients, visitors and staff, it will ensure car parking capacity ahead of the major expansion.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the high-quality care that our hospital staff provide, and this commitment to finalise planning will ensure we continue to deliver care for the community close to their home.”
Member for Springwood Mick de Brenni said the upgrade was part of the Palaszczuk Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and would provide a much-needed boost for the construction industry.
“Our focus is on helping Queenslanders unite and recover, and Stage 1 of the expansion will create 179 jobs, which means more opportunities for local tradies and subcontractors when they need it most,” Minister de Brenni said.
“That’s why we’re fast-tracking this project, with work set to kick off in 2021.”
Member for Lytton Joan Pease said the announcement was a big win for the community.
“This follows the government’s investment in a $1.5 million preliminary business case which explored options to expand the hospital,” Ms Pease said.
“This announcement is another example of the Palaszczuk Governments commitment to improving healthcare for the Bayside community.”
The Deputy Premier said the detailed business case for Stage 2 will be led by Building Queensland and will include schematic designs for the major expansion project. The detailed business case is expected to be completed in early 2022.
“A significant amount of work is involved in developing detailed business cases, which includes a detailed analysis of service and population demands and projections to ensure a robust and deliverable plan,” he said.
“We’ll be bringing a range of experts on board to work with clinicians and stakeholders to design these facilities, including health service planning experts, architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, and economists.”
Stage 1 will be jointly funded by the Queensland Government ($32 million) and the Australian Government ($30 million).
