ROOF FINISHED AT NEW CAIRNS NORTH COMMUNITY HEALTH FACILITY

This week marks a major milestone in the construction of the new Cairns North Community Health Facility – and the $446.3 million Cairns Base Hospital redevelopment – with the final section of the facility’s roof installed.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Health Paul Lucas today visited the site and said work was continuing at a fast pace on the internal finishing and fittings.

“The internal fit out of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service and dental services are well underway and work has started in the sexual health clinic,” Mr Lucas said.

“People driving past the new facility on the corner of Sheridan and Arthur Streets will notice some scaffolding has been dismantled, and next week installation of the external aluminium louvres will start.

“The new community health building consists of two wings joined by a covered atrium and breezeway that will feature palm trees and tropical plants and capture the south-easterly breezes.

“The building has been designed for the tropics and Cairns’ climate, including wide eaves and covered drop-off areas to provide sheltered access to the building during the wet season.

“It’s planned that dental services, sexual health services and the Blood Service will move from their existing locations at the hospital to their new purpose-built facility in August.”

Member for Barron River Steve Wettenhall said the move of dental services to the Cairns North Community Health Facility would mean both an improvement and expansion of dental services.

“The new Cairns North premises will have capacity for 13 dental chairs, nine more than in the current demountable building,” Mr Wettenhall said.

“Queensland Health will be working towards gradually increasing its services to make use of this capacity.

“Dental service staff are also looking forward to being co-located with the Cairns Diabetes Clinic, which moved to the site in 2009.

“It will provide them with an increased opportunity to assist with the oral health needs of diabetics, who are predisposed to gum disease,” he said.

Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt said after services move off the northern end of the hospital site, the existing buildings and the existing car park would be demolished to make way for construction of the new six-storey clinical services building, to be known as Block D.

“Concreting is also being finished on the top floor of Block E on the corner of Lake and Grove Streets, which will house the new multi-storey car park and cancer care centre,” Mr Pitt said.

“The multi-storey car park is expected to open on schedule in September.

“With approximately 270 additional car parking spaces, parking pressures being experienced by patients, visitors and staff around the hospital will be eased.

“After the car park opens, work will continue on fitting out the cancer care centre which is scheduled to be completed in early 2011.”

Member for Cairns Desley Boyle said there was a lot of excitement in the community about this new facility.

“I don’t think the people in Cairns realised how huge this centre was going to be and the diversity of services that will be on this site,” Ms Boyle said.

“Along with the large-scale hospital redevelopment already underway, the Queensland Government’s investment in health services in Cairns is a huge boost for the community.

“By 2014, the redeveloped Cairns Base Hospital will provide an additional 168 beds, bringing the total number of beds to 531.”

Ms Boyle said other services to be expanded as part of the redevelopment include:
• additional cardiac care facilities
• additional surgical capacity, including day surgery
• expanding intensive care capacity
• expanding birthing services and special care babies unit and a new low risk birth centre
• additional aged care and rehabilitation services
• new pathology facilities
• additional beds for mental health services.

“The Cairns Base Hospital redevelopment is one of the largest health infrastructure projects in the state, and will create 2596 full time equivalent jobs over the life of the project,” she said.

Ends.

MEDIA: 3225 2475