Medicos agree to super children's hospital in Brisbane

Medical experts on Saturday held a fiery closed meeting in Brisbane to discuss concerns over plans to merge the Royal Children's and Mater Children's hospitals into a single facility.

Pediatricians and other medical specialists feared the proposed $1.1 billion hospital may result in significantly worse services for children, prompting the government to call a meeting.

But Australian Medical Association Queensland president-elect Dr Mason Stevenson said doctors now agreed one larger children's hospital should be built.

"All the 300 studies we have looked into world-wide show the lowest mortality statistics are seen in those centres of excellence which have a high volume of pediatric patients," Dr Stevenson told reporters.

"It's the principle that the more patients you see and more experience and expertise you develop the better the results for patients - we could not ignore the international literature which said this is best."

However, Dr Stevenson said medicos remained deadlocked as to where the new children's hospital should be built.

"There was robust debate behind closed doors," he said.

At the moment the Queensland government is favouring a site next to the current Mater Children's Hospital in south Brisbane.

However, some medicos and allied health professionals are adamant it should be built north of the river at the current Royal Children's Hospital site in Herston.

"When we talked about what site that's when we had an almost equal division and could not decide on the site," Dr Stevenson said.

"This is a highly emotive and contentious matter for the profession in Brisbane - you are talking about a radical change in pediatric services in Queensland."

Dr Stevenson said the new hospital would provide 437 beds - 100 more than currently exist between the two hospitals.

He said he hoped concerns about job cuts would not be realised.

"The government is driving this because they see efficiencies and savings ... but there is also the potential for expansion and one may balance the other," he said.

"I do believe everyone here does have the best interest of children in mind."

Health Minister Stephen Robertson did not talk at the meeting and was a mere observer.

Robertson hopes to have a report on the forum completed by Monday to present to Premier Anna Bligh and a decision on the location announced next week.

"The outcome of today was there was no overwhelming preference for either the Herston or South Brisbane site but importantly there was recognition it is up to government to decide," Robertson told reporters.

"There is a strong desire for us to get on with the job so I hope to receive the report on today's forum by the end of tomorrow so I can meet with the premier as soon as possible."

Opposition Health Spokesman Mark McCardle said he hoped the government would take into account the views of doctors.

"I want the government to start listening to doctors on the ground because if they don't start listening they will make the same mistake over and over," he told reporters.

"We can't afford to make a mistake here."