Queensland’s first co-located hospital and emergency services precinct was officially opened in Alpha on Wednesday.
Speaking at the opening, Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Cameron Dick said the new $17.5M Alpha Multipurpose Health Service facility would ensure the community had access to 21st century healthcare well into the future.
“This project is the largest single government investment in Alpha local community infrastructure in many years and even before its doors opened, it delivered significant benefit to the economy, with the creation of 43 jobs in the construction phase,” Mr Dick said.
“While the former Alpha Hospital served this local community well for 85 years, the opening of this new, state-of-the-art facility will ensure a better environment for healthcare delivery and better use of technology, including telehealth, and access to electronic medical records.
“Importantly, all eyes have been on Alpha during the construction of this project – as the state’s first co-located hospital and emergency services precinct, this facility is now a successful model for future similar projects across the state.”
Central West Hospital and Health Board Chair Jane Williams said the contemporary design of the new Alpha healthcare facility included natural light and verandas.
“These provide a great therapeutic environment for patients and improved facilities for staff; including staff accommodation,’’ she said.
“There is also a separate community meeting room and amenities, as well as six short-term stay staff accommodation units for all agencies, including health.”
Ms Williams said the quality of the new staff accommodation would play a major role in helping the health service, and the other agencies involved in the co-located facility, to attract and retain staff, which was always a challenge in country areas.
Multi-purpose health facilities contained in the building include 24 hour emergency access, two inpatient beds, two observation beds, two resuscitation bays, a four-bed residential aged care facility with its own verandahs, outpatient treatment facilities, telehealth and non-clinical support services, and private practice clinic facilities.
The $17.5 million project was jointly funded by the Department of Health and the Department of State Development.
The minister said the investment in Alpha was just one part of a $36.5M health investment the Palaszczuk government was delivering for the central west region.
Other health infrastructure projects currently already under way or soon to get underway include:
- $9.4 million– Longreach Hospital medical imaging, maternity and air-conditioning works.
- $3.2 million– Aramac Primary Healthcare Centre replacement.
- $2 million – Boulia Primary Healthcare Centre upgrade.
- $1.9 million – Barcaldine Multipurpose Health Centre dental clinic
- $665,000 – Blackall Hospital water pressure upgrade.
- $1.8 million – Barcaldine MPHS mechanical services upgrade.
Mr Dick said the current round of central west works was expected to be completed by December 2017.