More FNQ hospital beds promised, but when?
Queensland Health
More hospital beds have been promised for Cooktown and Cairns by the State Government, but there is no word on when that might happen.
In a long-running health-upgrade saga dating back to the previous Labor government, eight new beds and an expansion have now been pledged for the Cooktown Health Centre, and Cairns Hospital has been promised a refurbishment, a new surgical centre and more than 100 new beds.
There are also plans for eight new acute adolescent mental health beds in Cairns.
But Health Minister Tim Nicholls said late last week there was no timeline for the upgrades, which are part of a comprehensive plan for the entire state following the independent Sangster Review, that examined the former government’s close to $10 billion Capacity Expansion Program.
The review found the previous plan would have ended up costing $17 billion and could not be delivered by the promised 2028 deadline.
Mr Nicholls said his government’s fresh plan would now deliver at least 2600 new beds across Queensland, compared to the former government’s 2200, but there was no timeline yet for when that might happen.
“I don’t want to be held to a time, because I think that’s the problem that we’ve seen with the previous government,” Mr Nicholls said.
The review backed the previous government’s plan to continue with the Cairns refurbishment, the surgical centre and the installation of more hospital beds.
Mr Nicholls said measures would be built into the new project to help avoid more blowouts and delays.
Opposition Health Spokesman Mark Bailey defended the former government’s plan, saying Premier David Crisafulli was using the review to delay health upgrades.
“These hospital expansions were based on many years of planning work,” he said.
“Premier Crisafulli’s words are not worth the press releases they’re printed on.”
A government release hit back with its own criticism of the former government.
“The plan follows a scathing independent review into Labor’s hospital build program, which has exposed major mismanagement including delays, under-funded projects and significant design flaws which left critical health services missing from hospitals,” the release states.
Premier Crisafulli said the Hospital Rescue Plan would deliver easier access to health services.
“This record investment into our hospitals will help heal the Queensland health crisis and deliver more hospitals," Mr Crisafulli said.
“Queensland now has a credible plan to deliver the hospital beds needed now and into the future.”
The government also promised 46,000 more health workers by 2032 and the release of real-time health data.
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