Your questions answered

Q:  Why do we need one children's hospital?

A:  The decision to build a single children’s hospital was not made lightly. Research clearly shows that patients do better when all services are consolidated. Combining our existing children’s services into one hospital will create a ‘critical mass’ that will bring more depth and breadth to our services. It will also take paediatric services in Queensland to a completely new level that could potentially be recognised among the best in the world.

Q: Can't we just continue with one children's hospital on the northside and one on the southside of Brisbane?

A:   Two hospitals competing for resources is not only wasteful because highly specialised services are duplicated, but it is also not child and family-centred. For example, families with a child who requires treatment from multiple specialists should be able to access all of their services in the one place rather than having to travel between services at the Mater Children's Hospital (MCH) and the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH).

Q:  What resources will there be for families?

A:  Extensive family support facilities will include a large percentage of single room accommodation with ensuite facilities.  Parents will also have the option of bedside sleeping in the inpatient areas.  There is additional separate family accommodation in the hospital for families with children in intensive care.  In addition, family accommodation is planned to be built adjacent to the hospital campus.  There will also be a family resource centre located in QCH where parents can have access to the most updated information on their child's condition.

Q: Why was the South Brisbane site chosen over Herston?

A:  A site feasibility study has shown that it is not feasible to build the new QCH on the current RCH site. The RCH site contains several buildings that are listed on state and national heritage registers and building consultants have not been able to develop a workable alternative option as to how the new QCH could be delivered on the Herston site without significant delay and cost. In addition, developing the QCH around these buildings would cause considerable disruption to the operation of the RCH.  The site next to the current MCH provides the land space required for the new QCH without interruption to existing paediatric services. The South Brisbane location also allows easy access to bus and rail transport and the South Bank parklands, cultural and retail districts.

By the time the new QCH opens it is planned that there will be two new cross river links at Hale Street and through the Clem Jones Tunnel.  It is also expected that in cases of emergency, ambulances will also be able to access the new QCH through the busways.

Q:  Will the new QCH be a Queensland Health hospital?

A:  Yes. The QCH will be a government-owned and operated public hospital for children and young people throughout Queensland. It will be managed by Queensland Health.

Q:  With one children's hospital in Brisbane, how will the new QCH cope with the increased demand?

A:  The new QCH will be a considerably larger building and have more beds than the current MCH and RCH combined.  The new QCH has also been designed to cope with further expansion capacity in the areas of emergency, operating theatres and clinical wards.

Q:  Will the QCH lead to a decrease in quality and quality of services compared to now?

A:  All existing paediatric specialities and sub-specialities at the RCH and MCH will be in the new QCH.  Adolescent services will be added to the QCH and the hospital has capacity to grow to meet future needs and innovations in health technology and health care.  Services themselves will improve with the primary focus during planning being on delivering the right treatment, in the right place, at the right time and by the right person.

Q:  Will the QCH lead to an increase in fragmentation of services compared to now?

A:  Clinical expertise will be concentrated and duplication of equipment and resources will be avoided resulting in improved services for children, young people and their families.  Consolidation of services has already commenced with the relocation of the Queensland Children's Cancer Centre to the RCH and the Queensland Paediatric Cardiac Service to the MCH.

Q: Will the new QCH have research and education facilities?

A: Research and education facilities are integral to a hospital of this nature.  Separate funding will be made available for the research building.   The Government is currently assessing the amount required, which will be separate to the $1.1 billion budgeted for the main clinical building of QCH.  Dedicated clinical education facilities are incorporated throughout the design of the QCH building.