Queensland’s $21.5b health budget to expand hospitals, boost workforce

This includes a $12.04b (A$18.53b) investment to provide over 2,600 new beds statewide.

The Australian government has unveiled a $21.5b (A$33.1b) health budget investment to reduce ambulance ramping, improve services, recruit more health workers, and stabilise the elective surgery waitlist in Queensland.

The budget includes a $12.04b (A$18.53b) spend over five years on the government’s ‘Hospital Rescue Plan’ to provide over  2,600 new beds statewide.

This comprises three new and 10 expanded hospitals, a Queensland Cancer Centre, and new and upgraded health and ambulance facilities.

Key infrastructure and equipment upgrades also include nine new CT scanners and six MRI machines in Satellite Health Centres and regional hospitals, along with the expansion of the Queensland Ambulance Service’s 24/7 Clinical Hub north of Brisbane.

Moreover, Health and Ambulance Services Minister Tim Nicholls said the budget will fund the maintenance of existing facilities and the construction of new hospitals across the state.

“More Queenslanders will access elective surgeries sooner under a $1.1b (A$1.7b) investment, including expansion of the Surgery Connect programme,” Nicholls added.

A$1 = $0.65