The Federal LNP Government failed to reverse the savage cuts to hospital funding in their budget last night, Queensland Minister for Health Steven Miles said.
“Treasurer Josh Frydenberg could’ve reversed the massive cuts to Queensland hospitals – but he didn’t,” Mr Miles said.
“Instead, the budget last night locked in $316 million in cuts to Queensland hospitals.
“The Federal Government could have found aged care places and NDIS packages for patients who are currently languishing in a hospital bed.
“Instead, they raided the NDIS to prop up a supposed budget surplus.”
Mr Miles said the Palaszczuk Government has had to do all the heavy lifting when it comes to building hospitals.
“In fact, since being elected, the Palaszczuk Government has delivered 527 new beds in our hospitals – opened, available, treating patients right now.
“On top of that we have a $546.5 million plan to increase capacity by over 500 beds in SEQ hospitals, more than 150 will come online next year,” he said.
Mr Miles said the Government’s “Building Better Hospitals” election commitment was on track to be delivered over five years from 2017.
“Major redevelopments of Logan, Caboolture and Ipswich hospitals will deliver hundreds of beds,” he said.
Detailed business cases for Logan and Caboolture hospital projects have been completed, which will deliver in 130 new beds in Caboolture and 192 beds in Logan hospital.
A detailed business case is currently underway for stage 1A of the Ipswich Hospital expansion project, including the fast tracking of a new MRI service which will be operational by the end of 2020.
“These are very large, very complex, very expensive projects. They go through a rigorous planning process overseen by Building Queensland.
“Expanding a live hospital is especially complex- an operational hospital that is continuing to save lives, perform surgeries, deliver babies every day is not the same as other construction sites.
“The LNP wouldn’t know this of course as they have not planned any new or upgraded hospitals. In fact, they criticised our announcement of redevelopments for Caboolture, Logan and Ipswich. And they offered not one plan of their own for new hospital infrastructure.”
