REDLAND Hospital will get a $1.73 million upgrade including a new $1.16 million water birthing suite and $566,000 emergency department expansion, Labor has promised.
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Redlands candidate Kim Richards said there were 1797 births at Redland Hospital’s maternity unit.
“Currently there are six birthing suites but no water birthing facilities,” Ms Richards said.
“This funding will deliver an additional birthing suite with water birthing capability, taking the total number of birthing suites at Redland Hospital to seven.
“Women seeking this option for the delivery of their babies have had to travel out of the region to access a water birth, so I know this announcement will be welcomed by midwives and mothers-to-be in Redlands.”
Health Minister Cameron Dick said in addition to the water birthing suite, the hospital would receive a $566,000 four-bed expansion to the emergency department.
“This is another great example of how the ... government is supporting the residents of the Redlands – in addition to our promise to recruit an additional 510 nurses, an extra three midwives and expand the Nurse Navigator program to 70 in the Metro South Hospital and Health Services,” Mr Dick said.
Opposition health spokesman John-Paul Langbroek said Labor’s promised investment in hospitals was not funded and would not be delivered for at least two elections.
“This do-nothing government has promised to do nothing for at least five years about their ambulance ramping and chronic bed blockages,” Mr Langbroek said. “As a result, Queenslanders in need of hospital care will continue to wait and suffer.”
Mr Langbroek said Labor’s promise last week of $679 million in health spending would not be delivered for five years.
“There is a whole other election between now and then,” he said.
The LNP would set up a Hospital Planning Commission to deliver a Redlands Hospital Master Plan.
Mr Langbroek said Labor was focusing on hospitals in seats which it was at risk of losing to One Nation – Ipswich, Caboolture and Logan.
Mr Dick said under when opposition leader Tim Nicholls was in government, the LNP cut 4400 health workers, including 1800 nurses and midwives from Queensland Health.
“Affecting the Redlands electorate, this included 340 staff from the Metro South Hospital and Health Service,” Mr Dick said. “We have added 655 nurses and midwives, 188 more doctors, and 156 allied health workers to Metro South.”
