7 new short stay beds opened at MB hospital

JAY FIELDING

A NEW seven-bed shortstay unit will be run by 23 extra healthcare staff at Maryborough Hospital.

The new facility will mean fewer patients will need to be transferred to Hervey Bay Hospital.

Short-stay units support patients who need observation and monitoring, as well as those with medical conditions that have escalated or need treatment and management. Typically, patients will require a stay of one or two days.

An Emergency Department consultant will provide medical oversight and be responsible for decision making in the new space, ensuring patients receive appropriate and safe care while remaining in the region.

Health Minister Yvette D’ath said the new unit and accompanying additional staff were a welcome addition to Maryborough Hospital.

“We are committed to providing the best care possible to the people of Queensland and are pleased that the opening of the Short Stay Unit will provide greater access to care for the Maryborough community,” Ms D’Ath said.

She said the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service would now be able to increase the treatment provided from Maryborough Hospital with a multidisciplinary team including medical officers, nursing, allied health, administration and operational staff.

A thrilled Member for Maryborough Bruce Saunders said he would always advocate for Maryborough Hospital and the community that relies on it.

“The Short Stay Unit will provide invaluable care for the Maryborough community,” Mr Saunders said.

“I’m proud to be a part of the Palaszczuk Government because we are delivering the health services that Maryborough needs,” he said.

Previous investments the government has made in the hospital include the reopening of its pathology lab, a new emergency department and replacement and refurbishment of the roofs of 16 buildings.

WBHHS chief executive Debbie Carroll said the organisation had been working hard to improve the flow of patients through its hospitals and to increase its capacity to care for patients in need.

“The new Short Stay Unit will benefit not only those in Maryborough, but the Hervey Bay community too, as fewer patients will require transfer to Hervey Bay Hospital to receive appropriate care,” Ms Carroll said.

“The Queensland Ambulance Service will also have greater ability to respond to emergency calls across the Fraser Coast, as better there will be a reduction in the number of patients transferred by ambulance between Maryborough and Hervey Bay hospitals.”