(Above) Artist Impressions gallery
(Right) West Moreton nurse navigators
A larger, better equipped hospital is planned to keep up with Ipswich’s expanding population.
The money will be delivered over 5 years with construction it due to start in late 2020.
Stage 1A of the Ipswich Hospital redevelopment will include a new mental health unit, an MRI suite to grow clinical capacity, an integrated community health care centre and outpatient facility, and a new car park, with 200 spaces.
Four new nurse navigators, Gail Rogers, Ana Matthews, Blessing Makoni and Coral Niesler, were also welcomed to bring the West Moreton team to 13.
These nurses ensure a patient is treated in the correct place, at the correct time, by the correct health care professional.
Gail Rogers has been with Ipswich Hospital for the past two and a half years and is looking forward to making a difference.
“I’m able to go into the community and make sure, once a patient is home, I can make sure that their needs are still being met,” she said.
These nurses ensure a patient is treated in the correct place, at the correct time, by the correct health care professional.
The nurse navigator roles are clinical roles held by experienced nurses with expert clinical knowledge and in-depth understanding of the health system, whose focus is to support patients with complex health care needs.
Nurse navigators play a key role in supporting and coordinating a patient’s entire health care journey, rather than focusing on just a specific disease or condition.
Another new nurse navigator, Ana Matthews’ background was in aged care, then home care.
“I have witnessed first-hand what can happen when people don’t get the right information from any of the providers. My aim is to make sure everything comes together to achieve the best possible outcome for the patient,” she said.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk delivered the election promise at the Ipswich Hospital.
“In 15 years, there will be twice the number of residents in Ipswich as there are today, and my government is making sure that the Ipswich Hospital can deliver the region’s health care needs well into the future,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
An MRI machine means the hospital will no longer require patients travel to other hospitals for the procedure.
“That means outpatients will have greater options to receive care closer to home and inpatients will have ready access to imaging that will accelerate clinical pathways and allow patients to go home sooner. There will also be a significantly reduced workload for Queensland Ambulance Service which currently transports inpatients who need MRI examinations.” Ms Palaszczuk said.
Building Queensland will now work up the business case to allow detailed design work and contractor procurement.
With the city population approaching 210,000 and predicted to more than double in 20 years this comes as a timely new development phase for Ipswich Hospital.
Overall the city is well served by GPs, specialists and health professionals. However, the pressure of population growth means that our local public hospital must expand to keep pace with demand.
I’d like to thank Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Minster Steven Miles for their commitment to the further expansion of health services in Ipswich.
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