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Chemo services still growing for locals


Do you know where the nearest chemotherapy service is? If you guessed Caboolture Hospital, you would be right…once it’s actually open that is.

Caboolture Hospital currently supports patients to access cancer care services either at Caboolture or specialist services at another Metro North facility. So where does that leave patients in the meantime? In limbo and travelling further from home than they probably need to while undergoing treatment.

Member for Longman Terry Young has also highlighted a need for chemotherapy services closer to home, when he spoke in parliament earlier this year.

“In March, I spoke in parliament highlighting the need for chemotherapy chairs at the Satellite Hospital on Bribie Island. I secured funding for eight chemotherapy chairs for the Caboolture Hospital in 2019 from the last Coalition federal government, to take travel pressures off locals suffering with cancer. Recently, I recommended one or two of these eight chairs be diverted to the Bribie Island Satellite Hospital.

Unfortunately, the Queensland government recently confirmed that not a single chemotherapy chair will be located at the Satellite Hospital on Bribie Island. This will continue to pile on the stress to those who are already having a tough time fighting cancer by having to travel to the Caboolture Hospital.

I am asking the state government to consider Bribie locals who are already doing it tough. Even when the redevelopment at Caboolture Hospital finishes, those living on Bribie will still have a minimum one hour round trip to access these facilities, which I believe should be accessible on Bribie Island.

While the state government keeps ignoring the needs of Bribie locals on important issues such as these, I will keep fighting to make sure local voices are heard and we are able to get positive results for our local community.”

When asked what was happening with chemotherapy services being redirected to the Island, Member for Pumicestone Ali King said it wasn’t possible until the Caboolture Hospital redevelopment was finished.

“I worked hard to get us chemotherapy at the Bribie Island Satellite Hospital, but until the new chemotherapy service at Caboolture Hospital is up and running properly, a satellite service can’t be delivered at Bribie,” Ms King said. “That door isn’t closed, though - I’ll keep working hard to get us a Bribie chemotherapy service at the Satellite Hospital once the Caboolture chemotherapy service is up and running.”

A Caboolture Hospital spokesperson said as part of the $399.5 million hospital redevelopment, patients in the region would have access to expanded services closer to home. 

“This includes an eight-chair chemotherapy and infusions unit, supported with additional funding from the federal government,” the spokesperson said. “The design and development of this new service will progress in line with the proposed funding milestones committed by the federal government. The new day chemotherapy unit is expected to open in 2024, along with the broader refurbishment program planned for Caboolture Hospital after the opening of the new Clinical Services Building in 2023.”

Looks like the wait isn’t over yet!

**More information about cancer care services currently available at the Caboolture Hospital can be found at: https://metronorth.health.qld.gov.au/caboolture/healthcare-services/cancer-care-services**

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