BUDGET DELIVERS FUNDS FOR MT ISA HOSPITAL UPGRADE

Health Minister Stephen Robertson welcomed funding in today’s State Budget for the $65 million upgrade of Mt Isa Hospital.

Mr Robertson said the Bligh Government had delivered on an earlier commitment to immediately invest funds for project.

“We’ll spend $8 million next financial year to get project off the ground,” Mr Robertson said.

“It will deliver an expanded Emergency Department, new outpatients, primary health and community health facilities in a new building on the current hospital site.

“We recognised that the hospital was ageing in many parts of the complex and we’re delivering significant improvements that will see our hard-working staff treating patients in more modern facilities.

“The project also includes better training facilities for medical and nursing students at James Cook University’s Mount Isa Centre for Rural and Remote Health.

“It will provide a world-class learning environment for rural health practitioners, such as trainee rural generalists which will, in turn, help attract medical and nursing graduates to the region.”

Mr Robertson said a new building would be constructed to house the new outpatients, primary health and community health services.

These services include:

• Child health;
• Diabetes;
• Renal;
• Community mental health;
• General medical;
• Surgical outpatients; and
• Indigenous health.

The entire project will be delivered in stages over the next four years.

3 June,  2008
MEDIA Joshua Cooney 3234 1185