Day 1 At Lady Bjelke-Petersen Hospital

May 27, 2016

It these faces are looking pleased, it’s for good reason … the first day of surgeries at the reopened Lady Bjelke-Petersen Community Hospital in Kingaroy went off without a hitch.

Seven dental patients were on the surgical list for Thursday and another two will receive surgery on Friday.

There were extractions, gum repairs and other oral surgeries.

And all the patients were public patients …

South Bank Day Hospital recently secured a Queensland Health contract to assist with dental cases in the region.

The first two days of surgery used the skills and expertise of local dental and anaesthetic specialists, complemented by clinical staff from South Bank Day Hospital in Brisbane.

Although the hospital’s official opening is planned for late July, Queensland Health granted approval for the dental services to begin sooner to help patients who have been on waiting lists.

South Bank Day Hospital staff celebrated the “unofficial” opening on Thursday morning with executive director Prof Mark Radford hoisting the company’s flag on the flagpole at the front of the garden entrance in Markwell Street.

Hospital manager Leith MacMillan said four local staff and four from Brisbane had assisted during the surgeries.

Local dentists Dr Jonathan Pye and Dr Phuong Pye were assisted by local anaesthetist Dr Jim Eadie.

Further dental surgical sessions have been scheduled for June 20-21.

This is only the beginning of the services that will be offered at the hospital.

Ms MacMillan said it had received accreditation from Queensland Health to operate three palliative care beds – located in the former palliative care area. These should open towards the end of the year.

And the former wards on the western side of the building will be converted into 14 oncology rooms to allow patients to receive chemotherapy closer to home. These should be in service by July or August.

Ms MacMillan said the hospital was currently licensed to have five beds, but had made a submission to Queensland Health to increase this to nine.

If this was approved, there would be three palliative care beds as well as six surgical “overnight” beds.

South Burnett Mayor Keith Campbell said it was with a “level of pride” that he could say that the investment of time, effort and energy by former Mayor Wayne Kratzmann and Council’s Economic Development team had resulted in Council securing a quality hospital operator in South Bank Day Hospital.

“The opening should provide a great amount of relief for the majority of people in the community who know they will be utilising its services,” he told southburnett.com.au on Thursday.

“It is a community hospital which means there will be opportunities for both people with private health insurance, and those without private insurance – like today – to use the facilities.”

Ms MacMillan said the garden entrance was being converted into the “main” entrance of the hospital. The current entrance will be used only by people accessing the specialist rooms.

These rooms have continued to be in use constantly since Pulse Health relinquished control of the hospital last year.

South Bank Day Hospital is now sourcing and supplying instruments and equipment in order to bring back other medical specialists interested in recommencing lists at the hospital.

“(It has been) an exciting day in the first stage of developing the new centre of excellence in health care for the South Burnett region,” Prof Radford said.

“We are delighted to have been granted such an important dental surgery contract by Queensland Health.

“As we continue to grow the medical services at the Lady Bjelke-Petersen Community Hospital, our focus will remain on utilising local services and skills and providing high quality accessible health care for regional Queenslanders.”

Related articles:

• Queensland Health Approves Hospital
• Hospital To Reopen May 26
• Hospital Board Announced
• Hospital Could Reopen Within Months

  Council