Analysis: Why sick Queenslanders will suffer from Labor’s failed health infrastructure plan

A review into the former Labor gov’s health infrastructure plan has found major flaws, undeliverable projects and budget blowouts, and it is bad news for sick patients, writes Jackie Sinnerton.

Former Premier Steven Miles and Health Minister Shannon Fentiman. Picture: Adam Head.

• Sangster review exposes deep flaws

The state’s hospitals are bursting at the seams and in dire need of an overhaul and it needed to happen yesterday.

Patient beds are being placed in the gym at Queensland hospitals and the sick are lined up on gurneys in emergency departments as they wait for a ward bed.

The foundations of some old hospitals are even cracking beneath the feet of overworked staff.

The Capacity Expansion Program (CEP), announced in 2022, seemed like a godsend but now the independent Sangster review into the plans for 15 hospital builds has thrown a spanner into the works. The review found major flaws and budget blow outs and projects are undeliverable.

Read more here for our full coverage on the review.

What this all means for sick Queenslander is more delays — likely years of delays.

Sangster recommends that the much anticipated cancer centre and several hospital projects at Coomera, Bundaberg and Mackay should either be scrapped or paused for revaluation. But the LNP has pledged that all the hospital expansions, builds and maintenance works will go ahead.

However, a revised delivery timeline is yet to be confirmed and some hospitals will be retendered.

While plans go back to the drawing board the population continues to rise and Queenslanders are ageing.

Artist’s impression of the Queensland Cancer Centre.

Former health minister Shannon Fentiman announced in December 2023 a state of the art cancer centre would open at Herston in 2028 with 150 beds for cancer patients and it would offer innovative cancer treatments. The artist’s impression showed an architectural masterpiece.

But Sangster has exposed that the centre budget has blown out by over $1bn and delayed for three years.

Just get on with delivering a new cancer hospital. Most Queenslanders fighting cancer would be happy with a bed, the best of oncology treatment and experienced medical staff. When living or dying is on your mind the fancy foyer and manicured landscaping go unnoticed.

Regional and rural patients deserve better healthcare.

In their glossy new brochure The Hospital Rescue Plan the LNP outlines that they will deliver 2600 new beds across the state and will pump the largest investment into hospital infrastructure the state has even seen.

Meanwhile the fed up staff at Charleville Hospital will continue to make do with the 83-year-old pre and post operative infrastructure.

Originally published as Analysis: Why sick Queenslanders will suffer from Labor’s failed health infrastructure plan