New name for Sunshine Coast hospital

Published Friday, 27 November, 2015 at 01:21 PM

Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services
The Honourable Cameron Dick

The Sunshine Coast’s newest hospital will open its doors under a new name when it launches next year.

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Cameron Dick has revealed the hospital, due to open in late 2016, will be known as the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

“Since 1923 when Labor created the public hospital system, public hospitals have been an integral part of healthcare in Queensland and have needed no formal introduction,” he said.

“It goes without saying that local hospitals managed by local Hospital and Health Services are public facilities.

“No other public hospital in Queensland has the word ‘public’ in the title, and the Sunshine Coast community knows and appreciates that their new hospital will be a public hospital.”

The Minister also announced that the partners within the new hospital’s Skills, Academic and Research Centre had chosen the operating name for this key element of the facility.

“This integral research and education partnership in the new hospital will be known as the Sunshine Coast Health Institute,” he said.

He said SCHI would operate as an unincorporated joint venture involving the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service, the University of the Sunshine Coast, TAFE Queensland East Coast and a medical school university.

“SCHI will ensure the new hospital will fulfil its important role as a tertiary teaching hospital and ensure that research, education and training are core business of the facility.”

Mr Dick said the Sunshine Coast University Hospital project would revolutionise health services on the Sunshine Coast.

“This will be a world-class hospital once it is completed and will mean more Sunshine Coast residents will be cared for closer to home,” he said.

“This hospital will provide a range of new and expanded services when it opens and will continue growing to meet local demand for health services.”

ENDS

Media contact:        Anika Hume  0439 253 815