A $45 million boost to health funding to tackle Sunshine Coast waiting lists is welcome news in the State Budget.
The funding will improve access to general, orthopaedic surgery, medicine, ear, nose and throat and gastroenterology services. I appreciate the big focus initially was on tackling emergency waiting times but this additional money to help these key services is good to see.
Health was one of the big items to receive significantly more funds in this year’s State Budget with a 4.5% increase, bringing the overall State budget for health to $12.5 billion.
The new Sunshine Coast University Hospital project received $115.6 million in funding this year. Construction on our new hospital is fully under way and promises to provide a significant boost to the local economy with an additional 11,250 building related jobs to be created over the next five years plus the 700 medical staff.
This will be a tertiary teaching hospital with the range and extent of services associated with a public hospital providing free health services.