Queensland Productivity Commission begins work, as hospitals get ‘rescue plan’

It added the major builds were managed in a “futile” manner that prioritised timelines above everything else.

With $230 million in upgrades and new builds already under way, Health Minister Tim Nicholls said on Thursday that the government had already put together a “hospital rescue plan” for the project as a whole.

“We’re going to take the time to replan and rescope these projects so that we can give people confidence in the pathway and the credible delivery of these projects,” Nicholls said.

Speaking from Townsville Hospital, Premier David Crisafulli said revised masterplanning was expected “within the calendar year”.

He said projects that were partially under way, such as the Townsville Hospital, could be delivered within a four-year timeframe, but other projects were yet to be determined.

“I’m not going to tell you a porky here,” Crisafulli said.

Nicholls said the government’s “ambition” was to deliver the projects quickly, but remained clear the state would avoid the pitfalls outlined in previous report.

“I’m going to go back to the cabinet budget review committee and discuss the funding arrangements for it, and we’ll be making provision in the [20]25-26 budget for the funding for all these projects,” he said.

Crisafulli added any funds loosened up by tighter planning would give the government “the extra capacity to spend that extra money in that local health system”.

He said the “missing part” in the overall plans was now healthcare staff, particularly in rural and remote health service areas.

“They are the glue that’s holding the health system together at the moment, and they will continue to be,” he said.