Palaszczuk Government to deliver new Gladstone Emergency Department

The Palaszczuk Government will build a new Emergency Department at Gladstone Hospital as part of the $180 million Enhancing Regional Hospitals program.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk made the announcement today while in the Harbour City for the first Community Cabinet meeting of 2016.

“My government will deliver a modern new Gladstone Emergency Department, meaning better treatment for patients,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Gladstone Hospital staff provide a top-class service to almost 30,000 emergency presentations every year and this project will provide modern facilities to enable even better care.

“Early planning indicates the new emergency department will cost around $42 million and create over 150 jobs for the construction period.”

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Cameron Dick said Gladstone region deserved contemporary health services.

“The Gladstone region has recorded the highest population growth in the state over the past few years,” he said.

“We anticipate the new emergency department will have at least double the number of treatment spaces, growing from 11 to over 22.

“This community needs and deserves contemporary health services that meet today’s healthcare standards, and that is what we’ll provide.”

Gladstone MP Glenn Butcher said community consultation would start next week.

“This is a great win for Gladstone and I’m thrilled to be able to kickstart this vital project for our community,” Mr Butcher said.

“We want residents and stakeholders to have the chance to have their say on what’s important to them in an emergency department, which is why we’ll start community consultation next week.

“The new emergency department will deliver on key commitments to support jobs and provide vital health services to Queenslanders.”

Mr Dick said construction work would start in 2017.

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