John Holland has been awarded the tender as Managing Contractor for Stage 1 of the new $1.3 billion Toowoomba Hospital.
Queensland Premier Annastascia Palaszczuk said new and upgraded hospitals play a key role in Queensland’s Big Build – the state’s $89 billion suite of infrastructure projects.
The new Toowoomba Hospital – the first of three new hospitals to be awarded under the Queensland Health and Hospitals Plan’s $9.78 billion Capacity Expansion Program – will provide an additional 118 beds across medical, surgical, maternity, coronary and intensive care units.
Located on the site of the Baillie Henderson Hospital campus, it will provide emergency department treatment spaces, outpatient consultation rooms and diagnostic rooms and include medical imaging, pharmacy, and pathology services as well as administration, education and training facilities for hospital staff.
Related stories:
- Queensland Budget 2023-24 includes Big Build investment
- Queensland Government reinforces security of payment for tradies
- Expression of Interest open for Queensland social housing projects
Queensland’s Minister for Mental Health, Health and Ambulance Services, Shannon Fentiman said the $9.78 billion investment is delivering new hospitals and hospital beds right across the state.
“We know Toowoomba is a major hub for a number of rural and regional communities in the Darling Downs region, and that is why this investment is so important,” she said.
“It will deliver new and expanded healthcare to the Darling Downs region to cater to its growing population, and ensure the community has access to the health services they need for decades to come.
“Importantly, this new hospital will bring a range of health services closer to home for the community, reducing the need for patients to travel outside the region for more specialised care.”
The project is set to create 3,120 jobs during construction, providing a significant boost for the local economy.
Darling Downs Health and Hospital Service Chief Executive, Annette Scott said the Baillie Henderson campus is quickly evolving into a modern healthcare hub for the area.
“We are currently delivering the 20-million-dollar early works package in preparation for the new Toowoomba Hospital which is crucial in ensuring the site is ready for major works to commence next year as well as works progressing on the new Toowoomba Day Surgery which we expect to be completed in the first quarter of 2024,” said Scott.
“We know that modern facilities are a consideration for medical staff when they are choosing an organisation to work for, and we are positioning ourselves to become a destination of choice for health service professionals with a pipeline of new infrastructure in Toowoomba, Tara, and Millmerran and of course the recently completed hospital in Kingaroy.
“This is a once in a generation project that we must get right, and I welcome today’s announcement and look forward to continuing the important work we’ve started.”