Miles Doing What Matters: Emergency Department expansion complete

• The new Cairns Hospital emergency department (ED) has been officially opened.
• It includes six new beds, a dedicated x-ray suite, acute care rooms, upgraded state of the art resuscitation bays, and a family room.  
• The expansion is also supporting an additional 43 new health jobs.

The $26.4 million emergency department expansion at the Cairns Hospital has been officially opened by the Miles Government, including 6 new beds, and larger resuscitation bays with the latest equipment for saving lives.

The new ED also includes a dedicated X-ray suite, more acute care rooms, a family room and an upgraded waiting room.

The expansion will also support an additional 43 new jobs including for nurses, doctors, radiographers and support staff. 

The increase in capacity will meet the needs of the growing region and improvements at the facility will help improve patient flow through the hospital.

Since opening on the 17 July, more than 5,000 patients have been seen at the new ED.

This project is part of the Miles Government’s investment of almost half a billion dollars towards health infrastructure in Cairns.

Projects include the $250 million Cairns Hospital Expansion that will deliver an additional 96 beds and the initial $60 million towards the Cairns Health and Innovation Centre.

This is on top of the government’s record $1.436 million for the Cairns and Hinterland Health and Hospital Service (HHS) in the 2024-25 State Budget - a 10.6 per cent increase on the previous year.

Quotes attributable to Premier Steven Miles:

“My government is firmly committed to ensuring all Queenslanders have access to exceptional healthcare services closer to home, especially in our growing regions.

“To address these needs, we are delivering major expansions to hospitals right around the state, including here in Cairns.

“Our now complete $26.4 million emergency department expansion has delivered more beds and new equipment, which we know will make a major difference.

“This project will have a lasting, positive impact on the health and wellbeing of Far North Queensland residents now, and for years to come.”

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Health, Mental Health, and Ambulance Services, Shannon Fentiman:
“This new emergency department will mean our health heroes can deliver even more world-class emergency care to the region.

“With six new beds, state of the art equipment, and upgraded waiting room facilities, this new emergency department is an investment in the future health of Far North Queensland.

“The Miles Government is delivering more free healthcare closer to home by investing in more beds, more specialist health services, and more frontline health workers.

“This ED expansion alone is bringing an additional 43 new health jobs to the region.

“When the LNP were in, they fired around 300 health staff in across the Cairns region including almost 50 nurses.

“Since they left in 2015, we’ve hired more than 1,500 health staff across the region including more than 870 midwives and nurses, more than 310 doctors, and more than 90 ambulance officers.

Quotes attributable to the Member for Cairns Michael Healy MP:

“Since July, more than 5,000 patients have been seen at the new ED, a testament to the amazing healthcare workers who work at Cairns Hospital.

“Cairns is one of the fastest growing regions in Queensland, which is why the Miles Government is committed to ensuring it has the health infrastructure to meet demand.

“This is yet another exciting project at the Cairns Hospital on the path to expanding capacity and capability and becoming a world-class tertiary hospital.”

Quotes attributable to Leena Singh, Chief Executive, CHHHS:

“The Cairns Hospital emergency department redevelopment is a vital component of expanding our capacity to serve the acute health needs of our community into the future.

“The expansion was designed to improve flow and functionality for both our staff and for patients to be triaged and receive emergency care. 

“I would like to acknowledge the excellent service our hard-working staff provide across all of our hospitals, every day to our patients.”

Quotes attributable to Cairns Hospital Director of emergency medicine,
Dr Richard Stone, CHHHS:

“Emergency Department staff were a key part of planning the expansion and it is wonderful that patient care has begun in the final upgraded section.

“This expansion includes many beneficial improvements for improved patient care, including a new X-Ray imaging room, a significant increase in enclosed treatment spaces and a negative-pressure resuscitation bed.

“That everything went as smoothly as possible during the expansion works in a high-pressure environment is a testament not only to the professionalism and skill of the builders, but also our staff.”

Key expansion projects - Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service:

• $26.4 million Emergency Department redevelopment
• $250m Cairns Hospital Expansion Project – surgical centre and Cairns Hospital ward refurbishments
• $70m Mental Health Unit
• $19.3 million Cairns Youth residential rehabilitation treatment service
• $26 million Cairns Integrated Mental Health Service redevelopment
• $24 million Youth Mental Health Unit, Cairns Hospital
• $60 million Cairns health and innovation Centre

ENDS