Hon Annastacia Palaszczuk MP, Premier and Minister for the Olympics
Economics and Governance Committee
11 Aug 2022
Questions
Microsoft Word - QON Approved

Estimates Question on Notice Taken on notice during the Premier and Cabinet Hearing on 26 July 2022

QUESTION: What percentage of the new hospital fund will be spent this financial year, and how much in capital infrastructure is being spent this year? ANSWER: I am advised that the total Queensland Health capital program spend in 2022-23 is $1.537 billion. New hospital funds include the Capacity Expansion Program, Accelerated Infrastructure Delivery Program and Building Rural and Remote Health Program – Phase 2. The Building Better Hospitals program and Building Rural and Remote Health Program Phase 1 are also continuing to deliver new hospital beds and projects as set out in Budget Paper 3. The percentages of expenditure for new hospital funds for the financial year are available by dividing the 2022-23 Budget by the Total Estimated Cost and multiplying by 100 under the relevant subheadings at pages 82 to 86 of budget paper 3.

As detailed in budget paper 2 at page 10 there is $5.708 billion budgeted over the forward estimates for the Capacity Expansion Program. The timeframes for delivery of beds in accordance with this funding profile are set out clearly in the Queensland Health and Hospitals Plan. Time for planning and consultation with clinicians and frontline staff is required for any major new hospital or redevelopment with the Capacity Expansion Program delivering 2,200 additional beds over six years. That’s why $229.7 million has been committed over two years under an Accelerated Infrastructure Delivery program to fast track another 289 beds. That’s in addition to hospital funds underway that are delivering another 869 beds. In total there are more than 3,300 beds in the infrastructure pipeline with the largest investment in new hospital beds on record.

That’s in addition to 1,350 beds already delivered since 2015 and 10,638 more nurses, 3,106 more doctors and 1,103 more ambulance officers.