Funding secured for new ‘state-of-the-art’ Sarina Hospital

Mackay MP Julieanne Gilbert says it is part of a $51 million budget package to upgrade hospital and health services from Bowen to Sarina.

Funding has been secured for the new Sarina Hospital months after construction was anticipated to begin.

Mackay MP Julieanne Gilbert, in announcing a $6.6 million upgrade for the Mackay District Community Mental Health Service in Nelson St on Tuesday, said there was more than $30 million set aside for the “exciting” Sarina Hospital rebuild.

“We have got over $51 million in the budget for upgrades to our (hospital and health service) facilities across our region,” the Assistant Health Minister said.

“That includes upgrades from Bowen down to Sarina and also here in Mackay.”

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An artist impression of the $30 million Sarina Hospital development, released in 2020.

Mrs Gilbert said work on the rebuild was “powering ahead”, with the modern state-of-the-art facility to include 16 beds to take pressure off the Mackay Base Hospital.

She said designers were asked to finish the plans as quickly as possible but they were still configuring what the specialised departments would look like.

“What they do these days, they don’t just have a one-size-fits-all with hospitals — they actually engage with staff who work in the different departments,” she said.

An artist impression of the $30 million Sarina Hospital development.

“The most important thing is not the speed of (the designs) because we still have an operational hospital (in Sarina).

“When the planning is finished and the contracts go out to tender, just watch this space because we will get right onto that and get that build going as fast as possible.”

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Originally published as Funding secured for new ‘state-of-the-art’ Sarina Hospital