Cloncurry Hospital upgrade confirmed, mayor calls for a timeline

NWHHS Chief Executive Sean Birgan confirmed to the North Queensland Register on May 10, planning was underway for a new health infrastructure development in Cloncurry.

"I am pleased to confirm that planning is well underway for a new health infrastructure development in Cloncurry," Mr Birgan said.

"The completion of the first phase, Gate Zero, marks a significant milestone in our journey towards enhancing health services in Cloncurry. We are now gearing up for the next phase of the planning process, known as Gate 1.

"It is always exciting to plan for new and enhanced health services and facilities for the incredibly important towns throughout the North West."

Cloncurry Shire Council mayor said he was grateful that an upgrade was in the works, but a timeline had not been finalised.

"NWHHS has confirmed some details of an upgrade but a timeline for the upgrade is still unknown. The process has moved through the first gate in the project lifecycle and the planning for a hospital upgrade is underway," Cr Campbell said.

"They're saying it probably won't have money announced in this state budget coming, but for us we want to see what the timeline is so that we can have some certainty around it."

Cr Campbell said for years NWHHS had recognised that the Cloncurry Hospital was in need of an upgrade but no plans had been laid out.

"For a number of years there has been recognition that the hospital does need an upgrade and this is the first time that anyone has actually said that there is a process and that it is moving along that process, but we need some dates attached to that," he said.

"What their (NWHHS) timeline is, I imagine is much longer than what my expected timeline is. This upgrade should have already been in the pipeline of having dates and some money set aside."

Mr Campbell said some work had been conducted at the Cloncurry Hospital in a "bandaid" approach.

"A lot of the issues raised to me by staff, are being addressed. There has been capital works done on signage, fencing, painting and emergency room and waiting room. That is off the back of getting dialysis chairs," he said.

"My fear is the more money that is spent putting bandaids on the existing infrastructure, the longer it is going to take to actually fix the problem all together and give the community the facility that it deserves."

Mr Campbell said he was open to the idea of an extension of the current facilities, over a knock-down rebuild.

"As a community Cloncurry is pretty practical and while the idea of a whole brand new hospital would be pretty cool, we need to acknowledge that the aged care wing is relatively new and it seems to be spot on.

"The existing old part of the brick hospital is built solidly, it is just not fit for the purpose of a modern health facility.

"We see the opportunity to keep the old building and turn the old rooms into training rooms and offices and mirror the aged care wing where all the new and modern up to date facility is.

"If that was a quicker and cheaper option and our community would take that on board. But it is not our area of expertise in delivery of health services, will be guided by some degree of the department.

"But the bottom line is our community wanted the best possible facility as quickly as possible, for what our community needs are and the needs of a growing community in an area that is driving the state."