Milligan angry with Health Minister's lack of support

Mayor Tanya Milligan is frustrated with Health Minister Cameron Dick's lack of support for her push for a regional hospital in Plainland.

TICKED OFF: Lockyer Valley Mayor Tanya Milligan is frustrated with Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick's lack of support for her push for a regional hospital in Plainland. Picture: Lachlan McIvor

UPDATE: Health and Ambulance Services Minister Cameron Dick has responded to Mayor Milligan's comments by stating the right process regarding a new hospital needs to be undertaken.

"The West Moreton Hospital and Health Service and Board continues to work closely with its local communities and stakeholders, including the Lockyer Valley Council, to identify and plan for the region's future health infrastructure needs,” Mr Dick said.

"This is the same process that is undertaken in all 16 hospital and health services across Queensland before proposals are put to Government for consideration. This is often a lengthy process involving considerable planning and consultation over many years.

Mr Dick said the Government had yet to receive a proposal.

"At this stage, no proposals have been put to Government regarding a new hospital for Plainland, however I understand the Health Service is currently looking at these issues and discussing them with the Department of Health.

"I understand the Mayor also recently took up an offer to meet with the Department of Health Deputy Director General responsible for infrastructure planning.”

ORIGINAL STORY: ANNOYED, disappointed and angry.

That was the reaction of Lockyer Valley Mayor Tanya Milligan to Health Minister Cameron Dick's rejection of her push for a regional hospital to be built in Plainland.

Cr Milligan said she had been trying to organise a meeting on the issue with Mr Dick since August of last year.

"He's been fobbing me off to everyone else,” Cr Milligan said.

"How disappointing that he's in Ipswich last week, just 40 minutes away.

"If he's that strapped for time, I would have quite happily hopped in the car and driven down to him.”

But she is adamant she will keep fighting for the hospital to go ahead for the long term benefit of the Lockyer Valley with an expected population projection for 2031 sitting around 60,000.

Current facilities in the region are unable to deal with basic medical services, such as pregnancies or broken bones, instead locals have to head to hospitals in Ipswich or Toowoomba.

"We've got two great hospitals but we're talking about a conversation for plans for the next 20, 30 years,” Cr Milligan said.

She said Mr Dick's comments from last week were "disrespectful” to the needs of the community.

"I know West Moreton Hospital Health Service works closely with all communities in the region and will always look to further planning and expanded services when it can,” Mr Dick said.

"No (we aren't considering a new hospital), the hospital health service needs to do the planning for delivery of services.”

But the Mayor is buoyed by positive talks with Queensland Health about the future of the project.

"We've had fruitful meetings with Queensland Health on this very issue,” she said.

"They're doing a master plan and well be included in that, and that's wonderful.”

While she understood the hospital would not be built overnight, Mr Dick's lack of desire to have a conversation on the issue was something that stuck in the Mayor's craw.

"To see the residents of the Lockyer Valley have the level of health care they deserve is something worth fighting for,” she said.

"(He's) not thinking.

"Strange is just one description.”

Cr Milligan is trying to set up a meeting with the Shadow Minister for Health and Ambulance Services John-Paul Langbroek.