New hospital precinct would cure city’s economic woes

There are calls for the State Government to get moving on proposed new hospital at the Baillie Henderson campus and wait times blow out at Toowoomba Hospital.

TSBE general manager for health Jaden Frame said a new hospital at the Baillie Henderson campus would future-proof the region and reduce pressure on the Toowoomba Hospital. Photo Bev Lacey

THERE are calls from within the medical fraternity urging the State Government to move forward on the proposed medical precinct at Baillie Henderson Hospital.

Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise general manager of Health Jaden Frame said the precinct would reduce pressure on the city’s four hospitals and bring about a widespread economic boost.

“Health is the largest employer in the region, and we can use health to grow the economy,” he said.

The sector employs about 12,500 full-time equivalent jobs.

“We don’t need to increase that capacity by much to have a significant economic increase,” Mr Frame said.

The call comes as the LNP pounced on fresh Queensland Health data that showed the Toowoomba Hospital was falling behind with emergency department wait times.

About 37 per cent of patients were not seen to within the recommended time frame in the March quarter.

Jaden Frame, Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprises General Manager for Health

Meanwhile, about 27 per cent of patients who arrived by Queensland Ambulance Service transport had to wait in the ED ramp.

A Darling Downs Health spokeswoman acknowledged there were shortfalls but added that all category one cases – the most serious – were seen to immediately.

At the same time, the hospital had weathered a 10 per cent increase in patient numbers.

It is the population shift that has Mr Frame concerned, and he said a new medical precinct at the Baillie Henderson Hospital campus would future-proof the region.

“One in five people are unhappy about living in capital cities and are looking to move,” he said.

According to the Regional Australia Institute, people fleeing the capital cities move to towns about an hour’s drive down the road.

“We are at capacity in our hospitals, and with that growing population, pressure is only going to increase,” he said.

The proposed medical precinct would include extra beds and consulting rooms along with greater capacity for online health services.

Mr Frame said it would also attract biotech and meditech investment along with high-skilled workers chasing high-paying jobs.

The income they brought would then filter through the wider economy into construction, hospitality and retail.

“The government has funded the business case, it has gone through every approval,” he said.

“All we are waiting on is for the State Government to say, ‘Yes we agree with the business case,’ and we are ready to go forward.”