Audit into health body buildings

DARLING Downs Health will commission a massive master plan for its existing and new health infrastructure this year, thanks to funding from the State Government.

The region’s health body put out a tender last week for someone to carry out the audit of its buildings and assess their short, medium and long-term conditions.

Infrastructure executive director Dr Paul Clayton said the master plan would cover Toowoomba, the Western Downs, the Southern Downs and South Burnett.

“The purpose of this planning project is to assess existing infrastructure and, based on current and forecast healthservices demand, to develop a plan that identifies infrastructure priorities for Darling Downs Health,” he said.

“The intent is to address priorities for infrastructure refurbishment or accelerated maintenance as well as priorities for infrastructure replacement.

“This is part of our longterm strategic planning process to audit and plan for our future infrastructure needs across the health service.”

Dr Clayton said the audit was separate from the planning for a new hospital, which was funded differently.

“The Darling Downs Health Infrastructure Master Planning project will have its focus around infrastructure at our rural facilities and although it will not consider the proposed Toowoomba Hospital redevelopment specifically, it will take into consideration the potential for a new hospital to be built on the Baillie Henderson campus in the future,” he said.