Townsville hospital plans slashed by Health Minister Tim Nicholls

Health Minister Tim Nicholls has taken a scalpel to the hospital build program, blaming the previous Labor government for a multimillion-dollar cost blowout.

Health Minister Tim Nicholls this week. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Health Minister Tim Nicholls has taken a scalpel to the hospital build program, cutting plans to deliver beds that support new mothers with severe mental health issues.

An eight-bed peri-natal unit was planned for the Townsville hospital campus as part of a $39m investment under the former Labor government to deliver 30 baby/mother beds across six Queensland hospitals.

Under Labor, all 30 beds were planned to be delivered by late 2026 under a wider $89m funding program for peri-natal mental healthcare.

Mr Nicholls has revealed the Townsville beds will no longer go ahead after the project ballooned to $38m, excluding operational costs, chewing up nearly the entire $39m allocation.

He blamed the funding shortage on his Labor predecessor Shannon Fentiman.

However, a spokesman for Mater confirmed the hospital has been informed the unit would not be built back in December.

“Mater was advised on December 2 that Queensland Health would not proceed with the proposal to build an eight-bed unit at Mater’s Townsville hospital campus,” he said.

“Mater understands the state government now intends to conduct a tender process for the service.”

An artist’s impression of the Townsville University Hospital redevelopment

Mr Nicholls has further alleged that Ms Fentiman ignored department advice to conduct market analysis and issue a competitive market tender before making the funding announcement.

“This is another example of Shannon Fentiman’s sugar hit announcements without the money or the plan to follow through and deliver outcomes for Queenslanders,” he said.

In a media statement dated May 10, Ms Fentiman announced the $39m was an initial investment for the 30 beds as part of Labor’s five-year $1.6bn mental health plan.

It is understood Ms Fentiman signed off on 12 peri-natal mental health beds across Cairns, Logan and Ipswich prior to the October state election.

Funding was to be spent on planning, design and consultation, with beds to be partly paid for through revenue from the mental health levy.

Mr Nicholls insists the government will still deliver all 30 beds however, the timeline for delivery will likely be affected by the tender process.

“The Crisafulli Government will fix Labor’s mess, end the cost blowouts, and deliver world-class health services for Queenslanders, including peri-natal mental health services,” he said.

“To be clear, the Crisafulli Government will deliver this service.”

There are 12 public peri-natal mental health inpatient beds in Queensland located in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

One in five women experienced mental ill health within 24 months of having children.