Work to start on new hospital

The first sod has been turned by Health Minister Yvette D’Ath on the new satellite hospital in Kallangur.

The hospital will include a minor injury and illness clinic to take pressure off busy emergency departments.

Additional services at Kallangur Satellite Hospital could include medical imaging, outpatient services and mental health support.

Minister D’Ath, the State Member for Redcliffe, said construction would soon start with a concrete pour scheduled for later this week.

Community focused

“This new satellite hospital will strengthen the local health care network for residents in this area, delivering quality healthcare closer to home,” the Minister said.

“Providing community-focused services is central to the State Government’s $280 million Satellite Hospitals Program.

“The program aims to ensure residents in some of our highest growth population centres have easy access to health services where and when they need them.”

The program will provide new facilities in Kallangur, Redlands, Eight Mile Plains, Caboolture, Ripley, Tugun and Bribie Island.

Local spending

Deputy Premier and Member for Murrumba Steven Miles said the projects are a boon for local economies, with indirect spending at shops and labour income.

“The Satellite Hospitals Program will support up to 773 construction jobs, and we’ll continue to work with the contractor Hutchinson Builders to ensure all seven projects are built by locals, for locals and for the good of the local economy,” he said.

Member for Pine Rivers Nikki Boyd said the new hospital would help meet “increasing demand for health services”.

Chris Whiting, Member for Bancroft, said the new hospital is “great news for local residents and local economy, supporting around 100 construction jobs”.

Helping residents

Member for Kurwongbah Shane King added the hospital would enable residents “to access the health services they need in their own community”.

The State Budget included $23.6 billion for health with almost $10 billion in additional capital funding over six years for new and expanded hospitals along with 2,509 new beds.

“We’ve hired thousands of more frontline staff across the Metro North region since 2015 – including 592 more doctors, 2,013 more nurses and midwives, 115 more ambulance officers and 553 more allied health professionals,” Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said.