Health Minister Yvette D’Ath announces early works officially started at $1.3bn Toowoomba Hospital at Baillie Henderson
After years of calls from the community, work has officially started on the new $1.3bn Toowoomba Hospital, however concern has been raised to how ongoing staff shortages will be fixed to fill incoming positions.
Development
Don't miss out on the headlines from Development. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Thousands of Darling Downs residents will be employed in the coming four years as work officially commences on the region’s new state-of-the-art hospital.
The new $1.3bn Toowoomba Hospital to be built at Baillie Henderson has now begun, with Hutchinson Builders securing a $11.5m contract to conduct the project’s early works.
“This is an exciting step forward, and very shortly the community will see the work starting for a new access road into the hospital and those essential services, like stormwater, water, power, telecommunications,” Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said.
“This project alone will support (more than) 3000 jobs for this region which is absolutely extraordinary.”
In August 2022, Ms D’Ath announced early enabling works were underway at the site, however she said she was thrilled Hutchinson Builders could now “get underway” with the job at hand.
The much anticipated facility, which will deliver 118 additional beds and additional services, is set for a 2027 completion date.
“Not only will we see a massive influx of jobs created for the construction of the new hospital, but we’ll also see an increase in the number of doctors, nurses, midwives, allied health and other professionals who choose to work in this brand-new facility,” Ms D’Ath said.
“We’ll also need to recruit new administration, operational and support staff to work in the new bigger and better hospital.”
Ongoing staff shortages among the Darling Downs Health facilities have caused concern, with many asking how the government plans to fill the roles, when they reportedly struggle to in the smaller and current Toowoomba Hospital.
“We are developing a workforce strategy right now to how we boost those numbers,” Ms D’Ath said.
“We’ve got to look at full scope and people being able to practice to their full potential and their training.”
Ms D’Ath said the Queensland government was working with universities and the federal government to see how the region could secure more health professionals, including further medical placements, international migration and streamlining the process to getting accreditation into the hospitals.
The new hospital is still within the design phase of its construction, however Darling Downs Health Board chair Mike Horan AM said main works would commence early next year.
“Each year we see almost 160,000 people through our emergency departments, (more than) 230,000 outpatient appointments and almost 3000 babies born at Darling Downs Health,” he said.
“I’m confident with works starting on the new Toowoomba Hospital … that Darling Downs Health will become a destination of choice for clinical staff seeking a regional and rural healthcare experience.”
Darling Downs Health chief executive Annette Scott said through the design process, the organisation was exploring opportunities to introduce new services and technologies, and enhance existing ones.
“When we open this facility, I expect it to be a model of what a contemporary hospital can be, one that is not only patient-centred and focused on the wellbeing of the community and our staff, but has an amenity and feel that sets a new standard for the industry,” she said.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler last week announced the two governments were collaborating to deliver an additional two Medicare Urgent Care Clinics as part of the Primary Care Pilots program across the state.
Toowoomba was chosen as an additional site for a much-needed clinic, after many facilities across the region pulled back on bulk-billing options.
The Toowoomba Urgent Care Clinic will offer bulk billing seven days a week, 8am to 10pm, however it was undecided which services will be in the clinic, with expressions of interest open until March 24.
“We know there is a lot less accessible and affordable GPs out there in the community right now, and this clinic is going to be welcomed by the community,” Ms D’Ath said.
Beyond ‘safe limits’: Dire prison warning as mega jail misses target
A new mega jail in Queensland’s southeast has been hit with massive delays and a quarter-billion dollar budget blowout, as the state’s prison population is stretched to the limit.
$1.2bn in works: 17 projects coming to Toowoomba in 2025
In what is expected to be another bumper year for the city’s development industry, more than $1bn worth of works are set to be completed or significantly advanced in 2025.
Top council bureaucrat departs amid major leadership shake-up
Just weeks after Toowoomba council’s chief executive announced the end of his tenure, another top bureaucrat is leaving the organisation for another region.
‘Above and beyond’: Massive over-50s project planned for growth area
More than 400 new homes for older residents could become a reality if a new retirement village is built in a high-growth area just outside Toowoomba.
‘No plans’: Heritage bank closures addressed
A major Toowoomba financial institution has responded to fears redundancies and changing trading hours would lead to regional branch closures in towns west of the city. Here’s what we know:
‘Zero odour’: $15m Darling Downs wagyu feedlot plan approved
A revamped plan for a new “high value” Wagyu cattle feedlot outside Toowoomba has been approved by the council, with its owner promising “zero odour” problems for neighbours.