The final stage of construction at Mater Private Hospital Springfield is on track to enable the $85 million facility to welcome its first patients later this year.
On opening, a range of surgical and medical services will be offered, ranging from general medicine to oncology and surgical procedures.
Stage one includes accommodation for 64 inpatients in two wards and 15 oncology ‘pods’, four operating theatres, a day surgery unit with 16 beds, an outdoor balcony garden, medical imaging services and a cancer care centre. A unique construction feature is a wall which can be removed for future expansion effectively doubling the hospital’s size and capacity, as demand for medical services increases locally.
Hospital Director Fritha Mackay said the hospital will grow to meet the needs of the region with future consideration for an Intensive Care Unit, Emergency and, importantly, Maternity, given the demographic of the Springfield region.
Ms Mackay is particularly proud of the Cancer Care Centre that provides a linear accelerator for radiation treatment and 15 medical oncology bays for chemotherapy and other treatments. The centre was partially funded through a $21.4 million grant from the Australian Government.
Previously, patients had to travel to Brisbane for their treatment sessions but now this can be offered locally. “One of the great things is that people don’t have to battle the traffic and find a park; our parking is right here so patients can park beside the entrance and walk right in,” Ms Mackay said.
Located on the ground floor, the treatment ‘pods’ allow a measure of privacy but also enables a degree of normality in an abnormal situation.
“The Centre was designed by our team who designed our Mater Cancer Care Centre at South Brisbane so they’ve taken the opportunity to improve things such as private entry, lots of natural light, the ability for patients to have their own devices, and hiding away things such as bins, so that it’s less like a hospital environment,” Ms Mackay said.
The $2 million Linear Accelerator is for patients who need to undergo radiation oncology treatment. Oncology team member, Alicia Moo, said the machine uses high X-Rays to penetrate through, to treat breast cancers, prostate cancers and lung cancers. “The patient rises up into the middle of the machine so that the radiation is delivered on the critical areas,” she said.
Patients will be able to be treated with both radiation and chemotherapy through a partnership with Radiation Oncology Queensland.
Medical and other staff are undergoing practical training in the lead up to the opening, organised by Mater Education, who stage ‘emergencies’ ranging from sports injuries to cardiac arrest and cancer treatment, even delivering a baby.
Most in-patient accommodation comprises single rooms, each with what’s known as ‘integrated room control’, which allows the patient to control room temperature, bed controls, blinds – even phoning through a meal order from the menu, which is then cooked fresh on-site and delivered quickly, and hot. Each private room also features a fold-out bed, and family and friends can visit at any time, without restricted visiting hours.
The hospital also provides significant opportunity for local employment with, close to 70 per cent of employees living in the Greater Springfield region.
Next on the training agenda is a 24-hour simulation involving all aspects of hospital and medical services, which will act as a shakedown for the staff prior to opening for business.
Planning is underway for future expansion of the hospital, and indications are that this will need to happen sooner rather than later, given the level of interest even now.
For further information on Mater Private Hospital please visit mater.org.au/mphs.
