IT’S one of the icons of Western Queensland. But after 75 years of service, the Blackall Hospital is past its use-by date and urgently in need of replacement.
Now a mission is under way to identify, design and build a facility to meet the needs of Blackall and its extended community.
Vacant land closer to the town centre and to Blackall’s aged-care facilities has already been earmarked as the most likely site for a new hospital.
Blackall-Tambo Mayor Barry Muir said the 18-bed Blackall Hospital was an important part of Blackall’s heritage.
“This hospital holds a very special place in the minds of Blackall people because so many local people have not only been treated here, but many were actually born here,” Cr Muir said.
“But the facility is literally falling down and is no longer an efficient hospital for the Blackall community.
“It’s a beautiful old building, but it’s just not functional anymore.”
A walk through the sprawling homestead-style building, located about 1.5km from town, revealed substantial damage to the building, particularly rotting timberwork.
In fact, part of the building has already been condemned because of asbestos and unsafe floorboards.
Health Minister Lawrence Springborg, who flew to Blackall on Monday, said he would assess options put forward by the Central West Hospital and Health Board.
Mr Springborg said Blackall was one of a large number of rural hospitals that had been neglected.
Based on a rough $1 million a bed, it is estimated a new 10-bed facility could cost more than $10 million.
What is certain is that any new facility will incorporate technology which allows people in rural and remote areas to access specialists based in urban centres.
In particular, a system called telehealth is allowing patients, GPs, nursing and allied health staff to consult with specialist staff in real time over a video link.
Blackall Hospital’s director of nursing, Francis Harlow, said that in the past 12 months, some 50 patients had used Blackall as a base to access specialist care.
That number was likely to increase as patients accessed specialist care, often allowing the treatment to be carried out in the local hospital without the need to travel to a larger centre.
