EVERYONE who walks down the steep ramp into Ipswich Emergency Department is looking for help.
Now it’s time for the government to help the over-burdened ward itself and the great news for the district is it’s coming.
The much-needed assistance is arriving in the form of Ripley’s modern new satellite hospital which is now just months away from competition.
The importance of the Ripley medical facility was revealed on Monday when the new Minister for Health, Shannon Fentiman, made it one of her first port of calls in her new role.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk joined the minister along with almost every other local state politician.
They were led through the first of seven satellite hospitals to be built in Queensland and saw first-hand that construction was on the final stretch, with completion of the internal roadworks, testing of building services and the installation of medical equipment underway.
Following the tour, the Health Minister confidentially announced the Ripley Satellite Hospital would be open before the end of the year and importantly she was confident they would be able to recruit the required staff to man it.
The facility will include a Minor Injury and Illness Clinic, which will be open seven days a week from 8am and will accept patients until 10pm.
In other health news the tender for the $710m Ipswich Hospital Stage 2 has been awarded. It will add 200 more beds to the hospital and a new Emergency Dept.
The clinic will provide care for up to 490 walk-in patients each week for non-life-threatening injuries and emergencies, including strains and sprains, broken bones, minor head injuries, infections and rashes, minor eye issues, minor cuts and burns, tooth ache and earache, and fever.
The Ripley Satellite Hospital will also include oral health services, BreastScreen services, mental health specialists and medical imaging and diagnostic services (including ultrasound, X-ray and pathology).
In addition, the Ripley Satellite Hospital will include consult and treatment rooms for appointments with Queensland Health doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.
These rooms can accommodate up to 800 outpatient appointments each week, between 8am-4.30pm Monday to Friday.
Health Minister Fentiman said importantly the Ripley Satellite Hospital will take pressure off Ipswich Hospital and its busy emergency department.
“Planning is also well underway for the 90-bed Ripley Sub-Acute Facility, located near the Ripely Satellite Hospital, with works scheduled to commence later this year.”
