Pamela Doyle was the first Day Surgery patient treated at the West Wing operating theatres on Wednesday, welcomed by Perioperative Services Nurse Unit Manager Lisa Warn and Clinical Director of Orthopaedics Dr Ruth Varrall.
New Health Minister, Shannon Fentiman, visited Gladstone Hospital today to celebrate the completion of the first surgeries in the new West Wing operating theatres.
The first emergency surgery occurred on Tuesday afternoon, while the scheduled surgeries began Wednesday morning.
Meticulous planning ensured the permanent relocation of surgical services from Gladstone Hospital’s old theatres to the newly improved West Wing theatres was a smooth transition for patients and staff.
All surgeries will now take place in the West Wing, meaning patients will no longer have to present to different areas for check-in, surgery and recovery.
The three large theatres are equipped with state-of-the-art pendant lights, cameras, and monitors, while dedicated anaesthetic rooms will create a better flow through the operating theatres.
The West Wing now houses:
- Perioperative Services (including Pre-Admission Clinic, Day Surgery Unit and operating theatres);
- Cancer Care Services;
- Radiation Oncology Satellite Telehealth Service;
- Patient Travel office;
- Visiting private specialists and valued private health service providers like Coral Coast Surgical Specialists, GenesisCare, I-MED Radiology, and CQ Eye.
The West Wing – formerly the Mater Private Hospital – forms part of the expanded Gladstone Hospital campus and demonstrates the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to delivering better health services to Central Queensland.