The expanded Mater Private Hospital in Springfield will have pandemic-resilient features once complete, including a purpose-built ward and an emergency department designed to operate in pandemic conditions.
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The pandemic ward will have 28 beds and will be isolated from the rest of the hospital. It will have a negative-pressure air ventilation system, with each ward to be provided with more isolation rooms.
External triage areas will also be provided to allow increased screening and assessment of patients during a pandemic.
The design of the hospital has been created to better prepare Mater for a future pandemic, given that Covid-19 has changed the face of healthcare.
First opened in 2015, Mater Private Hospital in Springfield will undergo a $1 billion expansion to deliver new services, such as intensive care unit and maternity services, more operating theatres and endoscopy procedural areas, and a much-needed Emergency Department.
The expanded Mater Hospital will have 174 public overnight and same-day beds, bringing the total number of beds to 233.
The hospital will be delivered through the partnership of the hospital and the State Government. In 2021, it was announced that the government will provide an initial $177 million in funding in the next budget for the care of public patients.
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said there would be further capacity for expansion at the new public hospital.
“This new public hospital in Springfield will complement the current facility and significantly boost capacity in the local health network,” she said.
“Queensland Health already works closely with Mater Health Services to deliver health care to Queensland across the state, and this investment is only strengthening this partnership.”
Based on the projected timeline, the expansion of the hospital is expected to commence in mid-2022. Mater is looking to open its door to the first patients by Dec 2024.
Further details about Mater’s expansion can be viewed at Ipswich City Council’s website, with the reference 20230/2021/ADP.
