Inside business plan for new Bundaberg Hospital

The new, state-of-the-art public hospital would most likely be located on 60ha to the west of Kay McDuff Drive.

BIG PLANS: An artist impressions of the redeveloped Bundaberg Hospital.

A detailed business case for the Bundaberg Hospital Redevelopment Project is almost ready to be presented to the State Government.

Wide Bay Hospital and Health Board Chair Peta Jamieson said the $6.7 million detailed business [case] for the delivery of a new state-of-the-art public hospital on a new site in Bundaberg was “nearly complete”.

She said a comprehensive analysis of the social, economic, sustainability and financial impacts of the proposed hospital had been carried out, along with peer reviews and business case drafting.

“Currently, the detailed business case is progressing through the Queensland Health investment assurance process and once this review is complete it will be presented for consideration by the Queensland Government,” Ms Jamieson said.

She said the preferred site for the proposed new hospital was unallocated (surplus) government owned land under the trusteeship of the Department of Resources.

“The current Queensland budget allocated $15 million to enable Queensland Health to purchase this land and undertake further detailed site planning in preparation of the project,” Ms Jamieson said.

The preferred site pegged for a potential new hospital to the west of Kay McDuff Drive, is a block about 60ha in size and according to the project website, is accessible during flooding.

“The comprehensive evaluation process considered more than 40 sites, including more than 20 privately-owned sites put forward through a publicly advertised expression of interest process,” the website reads.

“A multidisciplinary team of technical experts identified the site as being the most suitable, after assessing it against criteria vital to developing and future-proofing a new hospital.”

Earlier this year, concept designs for a new hospital were released for community consultation.

The NewsMail previously reported a multistorey carpark, education, training and research section, dedicated mental health and specialised services area, and rehabilitation inpatient unit were among the features included in the designs released for the proposed three-storey hospital.

During the community consultation period hundreds of responses were submitted by WBHHS staff and the public.

For more information on the Bundaberg Hospital Redevelopment Project, click here.