One of the Sunshine Coast’s most respected charity organisations, Wishlist, has revealed its plans to deliver a four-level transitionary care facility in a prime location directly adjacent to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH).
The project is supported by a grant of $12 million under the Australian Government’s 2019-20 Budget Measures, announced by Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace in March 2019.
After years of planning, Wishlist CEO Lisa Rowe could not be more excited to share the details of this significant project for the local hospital foundation.
“On completion, Wishlist Centre (Stage One) accommodation will support more patients and families/carers who may not otherwise be able to afford to stay close to Sunshine Coast hospitals during their ongoing hospital treatment or before or after treatment.”
“Our Gympie residents travel the greatest distance to access Sunshine Coast hospitals and have the highest chronic disease levels. Over 74 percent of hospital patient referrals to our existing accommodation, Reed House and Wishlist House, reside in the Gympie Region. These patients have limited access to local health services and are experiencing financial distress or are often too sick to travel after treatment.”
“More than accommodation, the facility will be supported by not-for-profit, the public and private sectors offering a circle-of-care to patients and their families. We are currently seeking expressions of interest from like-minded commercial partners for our ground floor tenancies, specifically in the medical, allied health and specialist services categories.”
“The circle-of-care will be Wishlist Centre’s point of difference, a consistent approach to care for our patients and families through every touch-point. We want our guests to feel supported, physically, spiritually, emotionally and psychologically. We will have experienced volunteers on-site, supported by the Wishlist team’s vast knowledge and strong relationships with hospital staff, working collaboratively with community partners who provide services that share our vision of a healing and supportive environment for patients and their families beyond the hospital bed,” said Ms Rowe.
Andrew Wallace MP, Federal Member for Fisher, who has been involved with the project from inception, said that the facility would be a big win for the Sunshine Coast and surrounding areas when it opens in late 2022.
“It is hard not to be passionate about the need for patient and family accommodation in our community, especially when you see first-hand the stress a health crisis places on a family. For those who are travelling from rural or remote areas, it can be a lifeline.”
“Wishlist Centre will lighten the load financially and emotionally for patients receiving ongoing lengthy treatment and provide services that support their families. I am proud to have been able to deliver $12 million in funding to get this project off the ground,” said Mr Wallace.
Brisbane couple Kyla and Jesse Winika experienced the benefit of using transitionary care accommodation first-hand when Kyla had complications in her pregnancy during their first wedding anniversary celebrations on the Sunshine Coast.
“I went into premature labour with baby Amaya, and because we live in Redcliffe, we were faced with having our baby at SCUH and being 75 kilometres away from home and our families.”
“Wishlist House (located a kilometre from SCUH) allowed us to stay close to SCUH, for our families to provide support and was a comfortable space for me to recover in after the birth. We are very supportive of Wishlist Centre, particularly because of the proximity to SCUH. It will allow more patients and their families, like us, the ease in travelling back and forth from the hospital,” said Ms Winika
In addition to the 20-room transitionary care accommodation and support services, there will be opportunities in Wishlist Centre (Stage One) for patients, families, health professionals and the local community to assist with health research, hands-on clinical training and social enterprise.
Wishlist Centre (Stage One) will start construction in mid-2021 and complement the two existing accommodation facilities owned and operated by Wishlist – Reed House adjacent to Nambour General Hospital and Wishlist House located within a kilometre of the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
Visit www.wishlistcentre.org.au for more information on Wishlist Centre (Stage One) to partner, tender or provide financial support to allow more patients and their families stay close during treatment at Sunshine Coast hospitals.
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Media contact: Helen Perry – Fresh PR & Marketing P: 0431 065 964 E: helen@freshprm.com.au
ABOUT WISHLIST
Wishlist is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to fundraising for the needs of the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service. Since 1988, Wishlist has directed fundraising efforts to initiatives that best support a rapidly growing Health Service and the Sunshine Coast population in need of a local hospital.
Wishlist provides local research, vital medical equipment, hospital accommodation and numerous support services and is committed to improving local health public health services through their “Wish List”.
For more information, visit www.wishlist.org.au
