Cairns Base Hospital redevelopment closer

14 January 2009

Health Minister Stephen Robertson today announced Hutchinson Builders will undertake the multi-million redevelopment of the Emergency and Medical Imaging departments of the Cairns Base Hospital.

Minister Robertson said representatives from Hutchinson arrived on site at the Emergency Department (ED) in early January, undertaking preliminary works for the start of Stage One of the ED redevelopment.

“The Bligh Government is delivering on its election commitment to the Cairns community through an $11 million investment into the redevelopment of the Emergency Department,” Minister Robertson said.

“The ED upgrade which will almost double the ED’s current 30 beds to 50 beds, is on top of the Bligh Government’s $446 million commitment for the major redevelopment of Cairns Base Hospital.

“The redevelopment will also include an expansion of the Intensive Care Unit and the Special Care Baby Unit and Birth Suite.

Member for Cairns Desley Boyle said the ED project is due to be completed by March 2011 and will enable the Emergency Department to remain completely functional during the building process.

“The four-stage approach to the redevelopment project will ensure there are minimal disruptions to the day-to-day operations of the Emergency Department,” Minister Boyle said.

“This is a hugely important project which will make a big difference to the Cairns district when the expansion of the emergency department is completed,” Ms Boyle said.

“Cairns Base staff have spent a considerable amount of time engaging in the design and planning to provide the best possible Emergency Department for the people of Cairns.

“I would particularly like to recognise the efforts of the Director of Emergency Peter Periera and his team,” she said.

Minister Boyle said early works had already commenced including the redevelopment of the Cairns Base Hospital’s Medical Imaging Department which is due to be completed by June 2009.

“The upgrade of the Medical Imaging Department will provide an area for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) service and a new cardiac catheter laboratory,” Minister Boyle said.

“A number of Cairns Base Hospital services will be re-located during the upgrade including Oral Health, Sexual Health, Cairns Diabetes Centre, the Rotary Home Dialysis Centre and the Red Cross Blood Bank.”

Minister Robertson said by 2014, the Bligh Government will deliver 500 beds and expand cancer care services for the people of Cairns.

“The Cairns Base Hospital upgrade is in addition to the building and upgrading of nine major hospitals, including three major tertiary hospitals which is part of the Government’s $6 billion hospital infrastructure program – Australia’s largest,” he said.

“The Bligh Government has a plan and a vision for the future, the Towards Q2 strategy is about delivering services for the future, unlike the LNP who if elected, would take seven long years to deliver just one new bed.

“The Liberal National Party continues to make plenty of promises while the Bligh Government is planning and delivering new services for the Cairns district, today.”

For more information about the Cairns Base Hospital upgrade, phone Minister Robertson’s office on 3234 1190 or 0417 795 583.