Sandy’s advocacy has continued for the required lease extensions which is crucial for our hospital to deliver to our community into the future. As mentioned in our previous June 2023 Noosa 360 update, transitional demountable buildings have been installed to triage patients as part of ensuring the Emergency Department operates as efficiently as possible whilst Ramsay continue negotiations with State Government for an extension of the current lease for an expansion of the Emergency/Casualty Department. Our previous update also has more information on the current lease arrangement.

Sandy met recently with the Queensland Minister for Health and the CEO of Noosa Hospital to understand what barriers to this permanent expansion exist. With Ramsay Health appealing Noosa Council’s decision to reject their application to utilise a property adjacent to the hospital in order to move the renal and oncology operations to facilitate the needed expansion in the existing building, this has become complex. Sandy is deeply disappointed in both levels of government who do not appear to see the urgency and need for this expansion, and may some good news emanate soon as we have had enough of the slow processes, complexities touted and the rationale that losing one residential home to address our health needs is not acceptable to our community.

2023-2024 State Budget

As we approach consideration of the budget requirements needed for our Queensland communities for the State Budget, based on our previous correspondence, advocacy and emerging issues being experienced in the Noosa Electorate as well broader state, Sandy has asked for consideration be given to the below as priority inclusion for funding in the budget:

  • increase the volume and scope of public general surgery referrals to Noosa Hospital to assist in reducing wait times and travel to SUCH
  • ensure further contractual arrangements with Noosa Hospital to fully utilise the ‘interim’ expanded capacity of the hospital’s Emergency Department
  • partner funding allocation for the permanent expansion of the Noosa Hospital Emergency Department
  • lease extension to facilitate an option for the emergency department should the transfer of the renal area to the site next door to accommodate not be realised due to Development Application refusal
  • expansion of mental health services in Noosa including a mental health clinician to triage at Noosa Hospital with associated mental health services and the co-location of Better Care Together program services, HHOT (Homeless Health Outreach Team) and CHT (Cultural Healing Team) staff collocated at Noosa Hospital, a second CORE (Queensland Ambulance Service Co-responder) team based in the Noosa region, PACER (Police Acute Care Emergency Responder ) expanded to after hours and weekend including services delivered out of Noosa Hospital, and AODS (Alcohol and Other Drugs Service) to provide a satellite service at Noosa Hospital.
  • an equitable funding scheme for non-Government hospices such as Noosa’s Katie Rose Cottage, in line with facilities such as Hummingbird House.
  • development and deployment of a public facing Automated External Defibrillator (AED) map for Queensland

As new responses and information is received, Sandy will update to Noosa 360.

Further information

For those wishing to also advocate with the Queensland Health Minister directly, please consider emailing health@ministerial.qld.gov.au and cc to our office via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au.

For information regarding Noosa Hospital please visit www.noosahospital.com.au

For our previous Noosa 360 updates on this, please head to www.sandybolton.com/?s=noosa+hospital