The Crisafulli Government is delivering for Far North Queensland, as work progresses on the Cairns Hospital Expansion through the fully-funded Hospital Rescue Plan.
One of the most exciting additions is the new cyclone-rated helipad that will be bolted onto the upgraded Cairns Hospital, a crucial improvement for emergency response in our region.
After inheriting Labor’s stalled and massively under-funded health infrastructure program which came with missing services, major delays and a $7 billion cost blowout, the new government has moved quickly to bring stability, proper planning and credibility back into the state’s hospital builds.
We all know how dangerous and ineffective the current helipad as, located on a major pathway. This is something our community has been calling for for years. Our government is acting.
Right now, work is underway on a fresh masterplan for the Cairns Hospital Expansion, which includes the new surgical and innovation centre as well as a multi-storey carpark to help ease long-standing parking pressures. As part of the expansion, the hospital is on track to deliver 64 new overnight beds by 2027, with the first 32 beds coming online by late 2026.
The new surgical centre alone will provide at least 40 new overnight beds, eight more than what Labor had planned, along with expanded services in orthopaedics, ophthalmology, and plastic and reconstructive surgery. This means more patients will be treated locally, reducing the need for costly and stressful travel.
And there’s more good news: starting next week, Cairns Hospital will welcome patients to its brand-new respiratory, rheumatology and tuberculosis clinic, officially opened recently by the Crisafulli Government. This is a big step toward strengthening specialist care right here at home, ensuring people in our region can access the treatment they need without unnecessary delays.
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