General News
25 April, 2025
Maryborough Hospital set to open next week, with more funding committed
The Maryborough Hospital’s $115 million expansion and upgrade is crossing the finish line, as the new facilities begin to open next week.
Premier Jacinta Allan joined key local figures for a tour of the new facility yesterday, which promises locals access to more health care options closer to home.
The construction of the new facilities to the south of the existing Maryborough and District Hospital began in 2023 to address growing demand and provide more access to primary and community health services.
Once fully opened the hospital will deliver a new urgent care centre, a 32-bed inpatient unit, two operating theatres and recovering spaces; a day medical centre with clinical imaging, pharmacy and pathology services; consultant suites, reception area, and more parking.
Member for Ripon Martha Haylett said the opening of the new hospital was a surreal moment for the local community.
“This is a hospital that this community has deserved for some time,” she said.
The new and improved facilities are expected to enable staff to treat an additional 4000 patients every year.
In an environment where other areas of the health system, such as demand for GPs, is straining MDHS CEO Nickola Allan expects the new facilities will help.
“It’s about sharing that primary care workload and ensuring we can then create the referral pathways internally to our teams to then take some of that load off our GPs,” she said.
Also on Thursday, the government announced a further $11.7 million investment to help the hospital hire more staff, install new equipment, and set up the new facility.
Premier Allan said the works have been designed to accommodate growth in the region for years to come.
“One of the things that has been a design feature of building a new hospital is thinking about the future of the town and the future of the region,” she said.
“Building it to be able to treat more patients means over time, more staff will be needed.”
In the present, however, Ms Allan said MDHS’ staff of over 500 will be able to get the hospital up and running for locals.
“Over the past 18 months we’ve been trying to right-size in preparation for opening of the new building,” she said.
Among the upgrades is an expansion of MDHS’ Midwifery Group Practice (MGP), nationally recognised for the continuity of care it offers women from preconception to early parenting.
The addition of two new birth rooms expands the care women can receive close to home. It’s an initiative in reproductive health Ms Haylett was excited to see expanded locally.
“It’s fantastic we have delivered this health care for women,” she said.
Speaking to The Addy earlier this month endorsed midwife Sarah Grundy, who spoke with the premier as a part of the tour, said the collaboration of the continuity of care model makes it particularly safe.
“I think the power of any continuity of care model is the connection to the community, the connection to the women, and the women’s connection to the midwives and the team. We don’t work in isolation we work in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team,” she said.
This collaboration will be supported across the hospital thanks to the building’s modern design and layout improving care for patients.
MGP staff hope the new birthing suites will attract more women to organise their pregnancy locally.
Final construction works are expected to continue for the next 12 months, mainly on the older hospital which is now being used for administration.
The works include more accessible park and turning circles, restoring the 1860s facade of the hospital, installing pedestrian ramps and native landscaping, plus temporarily relocating Dorevitch Pathology to former Amherst ward.
