Queensland Paediatric Cardiac Services

In other Queensland Children's Hospital news, the team at Mater Redevelopment Project are busily planning for the transition of Paediatric Cardiac Services from the Prince Charles Hospital to Mater.

A number of modifications, expansions and structural work will start to take place in May to help accommodate this new service and the transition process. These new facilities will open in March 2008 and will deliver interim services for the paediatric cardiac service until the opening of the Queensland Children's Hospital in 2011.

The Paediatric Cardiac Outpatients and Clinical Measurements will be established on top of the three level extensions at Mater Adult Hospital, which was completed in January 2007. This area will provide consultation rooms and clinical measurements facilities for all of the paediatric cardiac clinics. It will also provide administrative space for cardiologists, scientists and key nursing staff and support staff for the services. The location on level four will provide a purpose built clinical area, that is in a close proximity to clinical support areas like radiology and emergency services.

The current Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Mater Children's Hospital will be expanded and modified significantly to provide a total of 19 beds (nine for cardiac ICU/HDU and 10 for general Mater Children's ICU/HDU needs). The unit will be increased in size by building out onto existing roof space (towards Raymond Tce) and utilising space from the Day Unit. Three isolation rooms will be included with all bed areas fi tted with state-of-the-art pendant systems.

A new bi-planar catheterisation lab and associated support facilities will be purpose built on the expanded roof area (towards Stanley St). The lab will be located near theatres and recovery areas. In addition, a new purpose-built cardiac theatre/induction room and perfusion support area will also be built.