Public consultation on Gold Coast’s new health facility in Tugun, that will focus on early intervention and day therapy, not overnight beds or emergency department.

Gold Coasters can voice their opinions on the proposed ‘satellite hospital’ in Tugun — it has no overnight beds or emergency department. HAVE YOUR SAY.

PUBLIC consultation on Tugun’s proposed “satellite hospital” ends on November 23, with Gold Coasters urged to have their say on the health care facility.

Expected to open in 2023, health authorities say the service will focus on early intervention and day therapy, and there’s currently no provision for an emergency department or overnight beds.

When hearing of the plans, one Bulletin reader labelled a decision to build the 14,805sq m facility on Boyd Street “right near” John Flynn Private Hospital as “ridiculous”.

William, surname not supplied, said people who attend John Flynn already had cars parked down Inland Drive.

Tugun’s new satellite ‘hospital’ won’t include an emergency department or overnight beds and will instead focus on early intervention and day therapy.

“And this week, six boats, a caravan, and a converted bus were parked between the two roundabouts on Inland Drive,” he said.

Another reader, Victoria, said “What a joke. This is not a hospital, it’s just a publicly run health clinic hardly different than many medical centres”.

To view the detailed planning reports and learn about the proposed services, visit here and

1. Scroll to the Ministerial Infrastructure Designations public register

2. Click on ‘requests open for consultation’.

3. Click on ‘Gold Coast Health Care Facility’

To make a submission visit here.

The community consultation process ends on November 23.

REVEALED: PLANS FOR TUGUN’S NEW ‘SATELLITE HOSPITAL’

November 10

Tugun’s new satellite ‘hospital’ won’t include an emergency department or overnight beds and will instead focus on early intervention and day therapy.

Plans for the 2250sq m Gold Coast Health Care Facility, its interim name, have been released for public consultation, with the centre expected to open in 2023.

Located on a 14,805sq m site at 57 Boyd St in Tugun, it’s one of seven “satellite hospitals” the state government has planned across south east Queensland.

Tugun’s new satellite ‘hospital’ won’t include an emergency department.

In August, opposition health spokesperson Ros Bates said the Gold Coast needed another 800 beds and criticised the Tugun project as a “community day-clinic”.

“A hospital has a theatre, emergency department and overnight beds,” Ms Bates said outside parliament at the time.

“Labor’s satellite hospitals were announced in marginal seats.”

Planning documents for the health care facility reveal it will incorporate outpatient community-based health services with virtual healthcare opportunities.

Ambulatory services could include simple day-therapy services such as chemotherapy, complex wound management, renal dialysis and care for minor injuries or illnesses.

The facility’s outpatient services may include specialist outpatient clinics, antenatal and post-natal care, sexual health services, pre-operative and post-operative review, allied health services such as physiotherapy and speech pathology.

The new health care facility at Tugun will likely operate from 7am to 5pm.

Child, youth and family health services as well as community nursing, palliative care, Commonwealth support programs, oral health and multicultural health may also be offered.

The mobile BreastScreen van is also likely to attend the health centre.

The facility will not include an emergency department and instead “will support emergency departments at major hospitals by giving people the option to access healthcare through minor injury and illness clinics within their local community”.

Ambulances will only use the facility in minor situations such as collecting a patient to transport to a major hospital or delivering a patient who needs minor treatment for an injury or for access to a day therapy such as chemotherapy.

The single storey building, that has no provision for vertical expansion, will have 123 car parks and is expected to operate from 7am-5pm, with particular services to potentially operate up to 11pm.

The location of the new health care facility at Tugun is close to the Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta.

In October 2020, the state government announced $265m to deliver seven new satellite hospitals’ across southeast Queensland.

The health care facilities “will provide public healthcare services in the community, closer to home and in a more convenient setting that does not require patients having to travel to a major hospital”.

They also aim to free up capacity at existing major hospitals to ensure the health system keeps pace with growing demands.

Service availability will be tailored to the needs of each local community, with the respective Hospital and Health Service (HHS) deciding on the most appropriate clinical services.

A Gold Coast Health spokeswoman said the government was consulting with the local community on the proposed services, that will incorporate outpatient community-based health services with virtual health care opportunities.

“The focus will be on early intervention and day therapy, rather than overnight beds,” she said.

Public consultation is open until 22 November online at statedevelopment.qld.gov.au.

No overnight beds will be located at the new Queensland Health facility at Tugun.

Follow @emilytoxward