HEALTH minister Lawrence Springborg officially opened Cloncurry’s residential aged care annexe yesterday.
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The 10-bed annexe cost $7.4 million, paid for by the state government.
Mr Springborg said the annexe would be named after Keith Douglas snr, a respected Cloncurry resident who actively lobbied for the facility before he died.
The annexe increases the Cloncurry hospital’s number of residential aged care beds by seven.
Work was completed late last year that included refurbishment of the former operating theatre into a pharmacy, a reception area and a new driveway and parking area.
“This is a great outcome for Cloncurry,” Mr Springborg said.
“We are all aware of the difficulties facing our elderly residents in rural and remote communities, especially those who require residential care and do not have the access to suitable facilities that are available in larger urban centres.”
Mr Springborg said about 18 per cent of the resident population in the Cloncurry area was aged 55 years and over, according to the 2011 Census.
The Cloncurry Hospital aged care facility is one of several projects underway or completed in the North West hospital and service area.
The $65.2 million Mount Isa Hospital redevelopment is due for completion next year.