Far North Queensland patients are set to benefit from improved healthcare services, with the first new ward delivered under the Queensland Government’s Hospital Rescue Plan now open at Cairns Hospital.
The newly completed 32-bed ward marks a significant milestone in the ongoing Cairns Hospital Expansion and represents the first of more than 2,600 new hospital beds to be delivered across Queensland under the Hospital Rescue Plan.
The new facility includes 28 surgical and orthopaedic beds and four high-care multi-trauma bays, providing additional capacity to support elective surgery and improve care for patients with serious and complex injuries.
The opening of the ward also coincides with Cairns Hospital achieving accreditation as a dedicated Trauma Service, bringing together trauma, surgical and orthopaedic teams to deliver coordinated specialist care closer to home for Far North Queensland residents.
With more than half of Queensland’s major trauma cases occurring in regional and rural areas, dedicated trauma capability in Cairns is expected to have a significant impact on patient outcomes across the region.
The new ward is just the beginning of a broader expansion program. Work is continuing on an additional 32-bed ward, expected to open in 2027, while procurement progresses for the more than $1 billion Cairns Hospital Expansion, the largest health infrastructure investment ever undertaken in Far North Queensland.
The Cairns Hospital Expansion and Hospital Rescue Plan form part of ongoing efforts to increase hospital capacity, strengthen frontline health services and ensure growing regional communities have access to quality healthcare closer to home.
Stage 1 of the Cairns Hospital Expansion includes:
- A new Health Innovation and Surgical Centre with at least 40 additional beds
- A Health Management Hub
- A multi-storey staff car park located next to existing hospital facilities
- A new cyclone-rated rooftop helipad on the existing Block D
- Expansion of critical support services including medical imaging, pathology, pharmacy, sterilisation and kitchen facilities
To support this transformation and unlock opportunities for the Cairns CBD, Queensland Health will acquire land adjacent to the existing hospital to co-locate new facilities planned for Stage 1. Queensland Health will prioritise engagement with affected landowners, businesses and community services to ensure transparency and continuity of essential services.
Future stages of the masterplan propose a new acute services building connected to the Health Innovation and Surgical Centre and the existing hospital, along with refurbishment, demolition and redevelopment of parts of the current precinct to improve connectivity and functionality.
Labor ignored repeated warnings that Cairns Hospital had outgrown its footprint. This redevelopment moves beyond short-term fixes and delivers the modern health services our growing region needs.
This masterplan recognises that refurbishment alone is not enough. It delivers a long-term solution to meet future demand and provide high-quality care for patients across the region.
It is a long-term commitment to delivering health services when Far North Queenslanders need them, strengthening the local economy, and securing Cairns’ future as a health and innovation hub for the region.
2 Comments