Kingaroy’s Hospital Officially Opens

April 5, 2022

There’s been about 23,200 outpatients visits and 17,500 emergency department presentations already … but Kingaroy’s new $92.5 million hospital was finally officially opened on Tuesday morning.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Health Minister Yvette D’Ath did the honours, unveiling a plaque which will be affixed to the building.

Darling Downs Hospital and Health Board chair Mike Horan said there had also been about 300 births – including one on Day 1 as the staff were transitioning into the new building – and 9000 admissions since the first stage of the new building opened.

The hospital was built in two stages, with the first section – including Emergency – opening in December 2020, just 17 months after the sod-turning ceremony.

For more than 12 months staff were working surrounded by a construction site.

The second section, built on the foundations of the old “boomerang” building, was only recently completed and provides a new, main entrance to the hospital.

Mr Horan said the new hospital had been “delivered on time and within budget”, using local contractors as much as possible.

“I don’t know where in Australia you would go to a country town and get a more magnificent hospital,” Mr Horan said.

“But what’s really important is what’s inside, the equipment, the services and most importantly our staff.”

Mr Horan said the old building which it replaced had been built mostly by the Americans during World War II.

“It had well served its time,” he said.

Mr Horan said a good facility was important in attracting staff to a rural area: “We can say to staff, ‘this is a great place to come to work’.”

The new Kingaroy Hospital was “one of the best rural hospitals in a country town that you will ever see”.

“It features contemporary birth suites, medical imaging with a CT scanner that uses the most up-to-date technology available in a public hospital in Queensland,” he said.

“It has an expanded emergency department and a short-stay unit; it has high-tech operating theatres and a day surgery unit.

“It has a new cardiac rehabilitation service, an expanded renal dialysis department, a new infusions clinic, a new cancer treatment service, an expanded specialist outpatients department and spacious, contemporary in-patient wards.”

Footnote: Premier Palaszczuk used the opportunity of a media conference after the official opening to announce a major easing of COVID-19 restrictions in Queensland (see separate report)

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Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath, Darling Downs Hospital & Health Board chair Mike Horan and South Burnett mayor Brett Otto spoke at the official opening of the new $92.5 million Kingaroy Hospital

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Gallery Of Photos

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Speaking later, Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington said it had been an honour to be a part of the official opening of the Kingaroy Hospital.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in the creation of this new facility, in particular the staff of Kingaroy Hospital for their professionalism and commitment during the construction over the past two years,” she said.

“There is no doubt that this new building is of vital importance to the health and wellbeing of the people of the South Burnett. It is a beautiful new building and my community deserves this investment.

“However, I think it is important to highlight that while we have shiny new hospital, it is not a guarantee that we have shiny new services.

“We have a hospital that has leaked since it was opened. The first leak, after just 37mm of rain, damaged the brand new CT scanner and closed down 55 per cent of the beds for months. It leaked again in November and again early this year.

“There is also no doubt that Kingaroy Hospital is understaffed. Everyone knows that it’s the staff who ultimately deliver our health services. But there are too many short-staffed shifts, resulting in stressed and overworked doctors and nurses.

“And in relation to mental health, unfortunately our region has the highest rate of suicide in the State. Yet we still see no increase in mental health services or specific mental health beds.

“I will also continue to advocate for a full-time paediatrician, a specialist cancer nurse, more mental health services and a persistent pain clinic for the South Burnett.”

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Related articles:

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• Minister Quizzed Over Hospital Leaks
• First Patients, First Birth At Hospital
• New Hospital Looks Fantastic
• Hospital Budget Hits $92.5m
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• Horan ‘Hopeful’ About New Hospital

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