{"id":161343,"date":"2016-10-24T23:41:59","date_gmt":"2016-10-24T13:41:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=161343"},"modified":"2020-10-02T11:35:48","modified_gmt":"2020-10-02T01:35:48","slug":"solar-powers-up-hospital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/10\/24\/solar-powers-up-hospital\/","title":{"rendered":"Solar Powers Up Hospital"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Yokim Vasdekis and Brett Milne, from Ergon, with the some of the array of solar panels installed on the roof at Murgon Hospital<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

October 25, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

Murgon Hospital has become the first in the Darling Downs Health Service area to use solar power, and will be used as a test case to see if solar can be used at other hospitals in the future.<\/p>\n

The hospital hosted members of the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Board on Monday, who took the opportunity of their monthly Board meeting to chat to staff members and local community members.<\/p>\n

The DDHHS Board holds its monthly meeting in a rural location every second month.<\/p>\n

The visit was also an opportunity for Board members to inspect new solar panels that have been installed as part of Energy Queensland\u2019s “Business Solar Saver” trial.<\/p>\n

Ergon has supplied, installed and will now maintain about a hundred 280 watt solar panels\u00a0which have been placed on the roof of the hospital.<\/p>\n

Acting Cluster Operations Manager South Burnett Julie Kelly said the installation had been very\u00a0professional and while it had little impact on the staff or patients, the new solar panels had\u00a0caused some discussion around town.<\/p>\n

“People have been joking that the hospital will be powering all of Murgon,\u201d Ms Kelly said.<\/p>\n

Board Chairman Mike Horan said Ergon Retail had\u00a0approached the DDHHS about the possibility of participating in the trial.<\/p>\n

\u201cMurgon Hospital is the first hospital in the DDHHS where this has been done and we are keen\u00a0to undertake the trial with a view of potentially expanding the service across other hospitals.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s estimated the solar panels will reduce the hospital\u2019s monthly energy bill by\u00a0approximately 23 per cent, a saving of around $10,000 per year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a great way to ensure that our hospitals are as efficient as possible but also\u00a0environmentally sustainable.\u201d<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The meeting was also an opportunity for the Board to announce a project to build a new ambulance ramp at Murgon Hospital – a suggestion which had been put to the Board at a previous visit.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr Horan said the Queensland Ambulance Service had helped\u00a0design the new ramp to ensure it was wider and easier to manoeuvre patients into the Emergency Department.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be moved to the other end of the building closer to the Emergency Department so that QAS officers will no longer\u00a0need to wheel patients though other parts of the hospital to access emergency care,\u201d Mr Horan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will also provide easier access to the hospital\u2019s helipad.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ramp, valued at more than $190,000, will be constructed under the $50.6 million Backlog\u00a0Maintenance Remediation Program which includes a host of works across the DDHHS\u00a0to improve local facilities.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A presentation was made on Monday to outgoing member Terry Fleischfresser,\u00a0who finished with the Board in May.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr Horan thanked Mr Fleischfresser for his time on the DDHHS Board and presented him with a\u00a0framed photograph and commemorative book.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Board chairman Mike Horan announced that work would begin soon to improve the palliative care room at Cherbourg Hospital.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“The $150,000 project will refurbish an area near the men\u2019s ward to provide a bigger palliative\u00a0care room which includes a kitchenette and visitors\u2019 lounge,\u201d Mr Horan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe current palliative room is not big enough to accommodate extra family members who often\u00a0come from afar when a loved one is placed in end-of-life care.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new facility recognises that it\u2019s very important to Aboriginal people to have their family\u00a0close at such a distressing time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cherbourg Health Service Manager Ms Tarita Fisher said the Cherbourg Health Action Group\u00a0had promoted the idea for the improved facility.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know from experience that more room is needed, as well as access to a small kitchen to\u00a0make a cuppa when needed and a separate space for family to gather to grieve,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can be the last opportunity to pay respects to a loved one, so to have more of a self-contained\u00a0area will be very much appreciated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kingaroy contractor Wards Electrical and Communications is expected to start work on the\u00a0upgrade in late October.<\/p>\n

The project is being jointly funded by the DDHHS and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health\u00a0Branch of the Department of Health.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Another key capital works project discussed at Murgon was the imminent redevelopment of the old Farrhome Nursing Home building in Kingaroy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr Horan said the Board had previously announced the $4.2\u00a0million joint venture with Griffith University and Queensland Rural Medical Education to refurbish the building.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Board committed $2.7 million from the hospital and health service\u2019s operating surplus to\u00a0the project, which will establish a dental training and treatment clinic plus community health\u00a0services in the refurbished building,\u201d Mr Horan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am pleased to announce today that work on this important project began earlier this month\u00a0and is being undertaken by Hutchinson Builders, who were recently awarded the contract for\u00a0the work through a public tender process.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe project will increase oral health services at Kingaroy Hospital from four to 10 chairs, as well\u00a0as support the education and training of up to 10 dental students from Griffith University.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe work is scheduled to be completed at the end of March 2017.\u201d<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service delivers hospital and healthcare services to a population of nearly 300,000 and covers an area of about\u00a090,000sq km, including all the South Burnett.<\/strong><\/p>\n

DDHHS delivers care from 20 hospitals and six residential care facilities, and manages an\u00a0annual budget of more than $670 million.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Darling Downs Hospital and Health Board chairman Mike Horan, right, presented thank you gifts to South Burnett councillor Terry Fleischfresser, who was a foundation member of the Board<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
South Burnett Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff and DDHHS Board member Cheryl Dalton<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Amanda List, from Graham House, with South Burnett councillor Danita Potter<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\"\"<\/a>
BIEDO CEO Kristy Frahm, Karen Bowden, from BlueCare; and DDHHS Board member Ruth Terwijn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Murgon Hospital Auxiliary vice-president Muriel Schultz with Board Chairman Mike Horan<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Acting Director of Nursing at Wondai Hospital Rebecca Weier with Castra manager Shelley Lee<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\"\"<\/a>
DDHHS Board members, councillors and members of the Murgon community at Monday’s Board visit to Murgon Hospital<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Murgon Hospital has become the first in the Darling Downs Health Service area to use solar power, and will be used as a test case to see if solar can be used at other hospitals in the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":161346,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16,172,3],"tags":[28],"yoast_head":"\nSolar Powers Up Hospital - southburnett.com.au<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Murgon Hospital has become the first in the Darling Downs Health Service area to use solar power, and will be a test case for solar use at other hospitals\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/10\/24\/solar-powers-up-hospital\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Solar Powers Up Hospital - 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