Hospital business plans face extension

Minister flags delay on deadline

THE finish date for business cases looking into a new Toowoomba Hospital could be delayed, according to the State Government.

Health Minister Steven Miles did not deny the completion dates for the $3 million cases, which would either plan to move the hospital to Baillie Henderson or upgrade the current site, had been pushed back when asked by The Chronicle and the Opposition.

Dr Miles said the business cases, initially due for completion as early as the start of next year, hadn’t actually been started yet, with Queensland Health still working with Building Queensland and the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service on preliminary reporting and researching.

And the government might also dump one of the business cases in the future if the other is deemed more feasible, it is believed.

Dr Miles called a new hospital a “significant and complex infrastructure project” that the Palaszczuk Government wanted to conceive correctly.

“Two site options are under consideration, redeveloping the existing Toowoomba Hospital on Pechey St in a staged manner or developing a new facility on the Baillie Henderson site in Cranley where land is available,” he said.

“Work to support the detailed business case has been ongoing.

“The detailed business case, developed by Building Queensland, will commence later this year and is expected to be complete by the end of 2019.”

In a response to a parliamentary question on notice by the LNP’s Mark McArdle asking about the business plans, Dr Miles said further analysis was needed of the hospital’s impact on Toowoomba.

“The DDHHS have conducted further analysis of site options, particularly regarding town planning considerations and the social impacts of a potential site relocation,” he said.

The funding was announced for the 2017-18 state budget and the planning was expected to take 18 to 24 months to finish.