THE IPSWICH Hospital upgrade that will deliver 200 additional beds will go ahead as part of the Queensland Hospital Capacity Expansion Program.
Last month it was announced that the program had blown out to $16 billion from $9.78 billion under the former State Government.
Queensland Health’s multi-billion dollar program is responsible for expanding 11 existing hospitals as well as building three new hospitals and the Queensland Cancer Centre.
A team led by hospital infrastructure specialist Sam Sangster will undertake an in-depth analysis of the CEP to date.
Mr Sangster is experienced in public health infrastructure program delivery, financial oversight and cost control, and governance and accountability in public sector programs.
State Health Minister Tim Nicholls said Mr Sangster and his team would assist in ensuring the Crisafulli Government saved the hospital expansion program.
“Projects like expanding hospitals in Townsville and Mackay, and building three new facilities at Coomera, Bundaberg and Toowoomba, by applying independent scrutiny to the program in the early months of the Crisafulli Government,” Mr Nicholls said.
“The program is facing a blowout of more than $6 billion and there are estimates this may double if we do nothing.
“We owe it to Queenslanders to deliver the best healthcare infrastructure and services possible while ensuring their taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly.”
Mr Nicholls said the scrutiny by the team would help inform the Queensland Government’s approach to ensuring the CEP was effectively resourced, supported, delivered and enhanced.
Queensland Major Contractors Association CEO Andrew Chapman welcomed the decision to initiate scrutiny of the CEP.
When announced, it was to deliver 2200 additional hospital beds between 2024 and 2028 and create more than 22,000 construction jobs across the state.
