Moving childrens hospital will cost lives
LNP Candidate for Pine Rivers, Luke Mellers, has spoken for the first time about a near personal tragedy that he feels should end the debate about relocating Brisbane Royal Children’s Hospital to Brisbane’s southside.In June last year, Mellers’ one-week old baby, Anabelle, began suffering breathing problems and seizures.
At about 10pm that night, Mellers and his wife rushed the baby from their Joyner home to Brisbane Royal Children’s Hospital.
Unconscious on arrival, Annabelle’s life hung by a thread for 6 hours as she was worked on by up to 5 doctors and 3 nurses. Ultimately, Anabelle was revived 17 times.
“When she was finally stabilised, the doctors told us that if we arrived just 10 minutes later, Anabelle would not have survived,” Mr Mellers said.
“In short, if we had to drive to the Mater Hospital, our beautiful daughter would no longer be with us. It’s a clear demonstration of the stupidity of taking away the only children’s hospital on Brisbane’s northside.
“Minutes can be the difference between life and death in an emergency and in peak hour, minutes can become hours.
“To force parents, or even an ambulance, to travel through the heart of Brisbane in a life threatening situation is absolutely absurd.”
Mr Mellers said the Bligh Government’s decision to move the hospital was purely political and in complete disregard of the needs of people in Brisbane’s north.
“The government has tried to rationalise the decision in many ways but in truth, time saves lives in medicine. Labor’s decision to destroy the Royal Children’s Hospital will delay urgent medical treatment for desperately ill children,” he said.
“People on Brisbane’s northside have every right to be outraged because this decision is going to cost lives and it will be the lives of children.”
Mr Mellers also pointed out that both Sydney and Melbourne had two children’s hospitals while Brisbane, Australia’s fastest growing city, would end up with only one facility.
“Sydney has Westmead and Randwick Children’s Hospitals and Melbourne has Royal Children’s and Monash. This is to allow for adequate geographical coverage yet Brisbane, despite its growth, is going to reduce its number of facilities to one.
“The health system in this state is already a basket case and then the government does this. It’s either stupidity or arrogance, perhaps both but it’s going to cost lives and parents on Brisbane’s north side have a right to be furious.”
Unconscious on arrival, Annabelle’s life hung by a thread for 6 hours as she was worked on by up to 5 doctors and 3 nurses. Ultimately, Anabelle was revived 17 times.
“When she was finally stabilised, the doctors told us that if we arrived just 10 minutes later, Anabelle would not have survived,” Mr Mellers said.
“In short, if we had to drive to the Mater Hospital, our beautiful daughter would no longer be with us. It’s a clear demonstration of the stupidity of taking away the only children’s hospital on Brisbane’s northside.
“Minutes can be the difference between life and death in an emergency and in peak hour, minutes can become hours.
“To force parents, or even an ambulance, to travel through the heart of Brisbane in a life threatening situation is absolutely absurd.”
Mr Mellers said the Bligh Government’s decision to move the hospital was purely political and in complete disregard of the needs of people in Brisbane’s north.
“The government has tried to rationalise the decision in many ways but in truth, time saves lives in medicine. Labor’s decision to destroy the Royal Children’s Hospital will delay urgent medical treatment for desperately ill children,” he said.
“People on Brisbane’s northside have every right to be outraged because this decision is going to cost lives and it will be the lives of children.”
Mr Mellers also pointed out that both Sydney and Melbourne had two children’s hospitals while Brisbane, Australia’s fastest growing city, would end up with only one facility.
“Sydney has Westmead and Randwick Children’s Hospitals and Melbourne has Royal Children’s and Monash. This is to allow for adequate geographical coverage yet Brisbane, despite its growth, is going to reduce its number of facilities to one.
“The health system in this state is already a basket case and then the government does this. It’s either stupidity or arrogance, perhaps both but it’s going to cost lives and parents on Brisbane’s north side have a right to be furious.”
