AT 8am on Wednesday, August 30, medical services in the fastest growing areas of Ipswich will receive a massive boost with the opening of Ripley Satellite Hospital.
While Ipswich Hospital Emergency Department can expect to remain overcrowded, the new hospital will at least go part way in removing patients with minor injuries and illness from the long ED queues.
The Ripley Satellite Hospital will feature a minor illness and injury clinic, as well as treatment spaces for paediatric care, obstetrics and gynaecology, oral health, BreastScreen and mental health services.
The consult and treatment rooms for appointments with Qld health doctors, nurses and allied health professionals is designed to accommodate up to 800 outpatient appointments each week.
On Sunday almost 1000 local residents were given a chance to walk through the new hospital which took less than a year to build.
Francesca and Tim O’Connell with son Harry, were amongst the Ripley families to attend.
They said their decision to buy in the district had been greatly influenced by knowing this hospital was coming.
“My son suffers from asthma and we have had to rush off to Ipswich ED on a number of occasions,” Tim said.
“To have this new health centre just around the corner is a real blessing.”
Addressing the crowd at Sunday’s preview day Premier Anastacia Palaszczuk said the Ripley Satellite Hospital was a gamechanger for the growing region in providing the health services families in this area needed.
“Ripley is one of three satellite hospitals to open this month with the first at Caboolture already proving a success.
“With more than 580,000 people presenting to Queensland emergency departments in the last quarter, these facilities will help our frontline workers focus on major emergencies.”
Minister for Health, Shannon Fentiman, said there had been no troubles filling the 30 medical staff roles required which included 10 doctors.
“There were a lot who applied to come and work here, this is the type of work that our health care professionals want to do, they want to be on the frontline preventing things from getting worse,” she said.
In other major local health news, the minister said work was now underway on the 90-bed Ripley sub-acute facility, located right next door to the satellite hospital.
She also said that construction will begin next year on the $710 million Ipswich Hospital Stage 2 expansion, which will deliver 200 new beds for the West Moreton region.
