Gympie Hospital upgrades and business case

The state government has refused to clarify if more upgrades are on their way for Gympie Hospital, or a site will be chosen for a new hospital, as the region awaits the findings of $2.3million business case.

Gympie LNP MP Tony Perrett has called the state government’s response to needed upgrades at the Gympie Hospital “smoke and mirrors”.

Gympie LNP MP Tony Perrett has called the state government’s response to needed upgrades at the Gympie Hospital “smoke and mirrors”.

The region’s 2022 health plan identified the hospital infrastructure was creating “significant clinical and operation challenges, with services spread across multiple, poorly connected, multi-aged buildings”.

A new $8 million 24-bed staff accommodation completed earlier this month has left the region asking if the hospital will continue to receive step-by-step upgrades from the state government.

That answer hangs on the hope of a funding announcement by Health Minister Shannon Fentiman and the findings of the $2.3 million business case.

Gympie Hospital precinct, September 30, 2023

The business case is “critical to accurately informing Queensland Health, SCHHS and the Gympie community that any future investment in Gympie Hospital will meet the area’s health needs, is appropriate and represents value for money”, a spokesperson for the Health Minister’s office said.

Mr Perrett has called up his concerns over the hospital infrastructure’s ability to “support contemporary models of care” and unable to provide the “level of service this community needs” as outlined in the same health plan.

Mr Perrett said he had asked Ms Fentiman many times for timelines on public consultation in the business case, whether a site for a new Gympie Hospital had been located, or whether the government planned to go ahead with step-by-step upgrades for the hospital.

New $8 million Gympie Hospital staff accommodation. Opened January 10, 2024.

“The minister’s response states that they will consider infrastructure requirements based on current and future service needs when the masterplan already says the Gympie hospital warrants being more than just a rural generalist hospital,” he said.

“I am concerned this response is the latest smoke and mirrors exercise designed to deflect from the inefficiencies at the hospital.”

In the 22-23 financial year, $2.1 million was spent on upgrade works to the hospital, including air conditioning and the mental health outpatient area.

This financial year a $2.3 million business case is being investigated, and the site received the $8 million nurses quarters.

Whether this is the beginning of new upgrades that will future proof the hospital, as suggested in the health plan, remains unknown in the foreseeable future and Gympie residents will have to wait until Ms Fentiman announces any further investment in the hospital.