Early enabling works have begun at the Baillie Henderson campus as part of the new $1.3 billion Toowoomba Hospital.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D’Ath said the works, which include electrical works, are now underway and these will become more visible later this year when bulk earthworks at Baillie Henderson commence.
“The new Toowoomba Hospital will greatly enhance the local health network for local residents,” Ms D’Ath said.
“Importantly, the new hospital will reduce the need for patients to travel outside the region for more specialist care.
“Construction of the new hospital will also deliver around 3,127 construction jobs in a significant boost for the local economy.”
Darling Downs Health Chief Executive Annette Scott PSM said that the new Toowoomba Hospital would make a substantial difference for the community.
“Our region has experienced significant growth in recent years, and this has meant an increased demand for our health services,” Ms Scott said.
“As the major hub for a number of rural and regional communities, this investment in the Toowoomba Hospital will have a lasting and wide-spread impact for the Darling Downs region.
“The new Toowoomba Hospital will be one of the most important infrastructure projects our region has undertaken.
“We will ensure that staff, the community and the people who use these health services are at the centre of this project.”
The new Toowoomba Hospital is expected to open in the second half of 2027.
For some, the opening of the new hospital cannot come quickly enough as the emergency department of the current hospital struggles to see to patients in a timely manner.
In the June 2022 quarter, 40 per cent of patients who needed treatment in the emergency department were not seen within the clinically recommended time.
Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates put the blame on the Queensland Government rather than the hospital staff.
“These dedicated men and women are working double shifts week-in-week-out,” Ms Bates said.
“The deserve more respect and resources from the State Government.
“The LNP has put solutions on the table, including more beds, extra resources, releasing data in real time and giving the power back to local decision makers who know their local communities.”
This article appeared in On Our Selection News, 1 September 2022.
