New Operating Theatres to Increase Capacity at RBWH

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17 November 2009

The Rudd Government’s $5.1 million investment in the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital’s new state-of-the-art surgical theatres were officially opened today.

Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister for Health Paul Lucas said that thanks to Commonwealth funding, two new high-tech operating rooms will provide enhanced capacity to treat a broad spectrum of complex surgical patients at the RBWH.

One of the new operating theatres will serve as a dedicated “hybrid” theatre to be used for complex vascular surgery and trauma patients requiring dedicated imaging at the time of their operations and procedures.

The second theatre will be used primarily as an integrated theatre, specialising in laparoscopic surgery and allowing interactive teaching opportunities to take place both within and outside of the hospital.

Mr Lucas said, “Bringing online these two extra theatres will enable staff to perform additional urgent surgeries for acute patients.

“This represents a new era of preventative care for some patients who had previously been deemed too high risk for such surgery.” said Mr Lucas.

The Commonwealth Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, said that today’s investment was part of the Rudd Government’s $29.4 million investment in Queensland for capital infrastructure projects, including new operating theatres, and the purchase of surgical equipment.

“This investment builds on the $27.6 million provided by the Rudd Government in 2008 for an elective surgery blitz which allowed an extra 5,928 additional surgeries to be carried out in Queensland, on top of the elective surgery already performed in the State.

“I was pleased to tour the facility in September to see this modern facility under construction and receive a briefing on the benefits of the dedicated hybrid theatre to be used for complex vascular surgeries and trauma patients,” said Ms Roxon.

Federal Member for Brisbane, Arch Bevis MP, welcomed the funding for this very busy hospital serving the residents of Brisbane.

“We know that the Royal Brisbane and Women’s is the busiest hospital in Queensland and has served the local community very well for many years.

“This investment of $5.1 million by the Rudd Labor Government is a strong show of support for the work undertaken at this hospital and recognition of the population growth across Brisbane.” said Mr Bevis.

An additional $2 million in funding has also been provided by the Queensland Government for the fit-out of specialist hybrid technology in one of the theatres.

Mr Lucas said, “The benefits of these two new surgeries are many - patients are treated sooner with less physical impact, results are more accurate and hospital stays are also reduced.

“As the State’s largest public hospital, the RBWH provides inpatient and ambulatory services to patients from all over Queensland and beyond.

“Each quarter, around 3,500 patients from the elective surgery waiting list are admitted to RBWH and these new theatres will help boost these numbers even further.

“The two new theatres are expected to lead to an extra 700 surgical operations every year, helping us to make significant inroads into current waiting lists,” he said.