The Queensland State Government has announced the opening of Townsville Hospital’s new North Block, the state’s largest emergency department (ED).

 

The $94 million, 75-bat North Block was opened by State Minister for Health, Geoff Wilson.

 

It is expected to serve upwards of 65,000 patients per year, providing state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment technologies, such as satellite medical imaging.

 

The North Block also contains a 34-bed maternity ward and an expanded intensive care unit (ICU).

 

The centre will  house a $25 million expansion to the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit enabling up to 50 seriously ill or premature infants to be treated, catering for an expected 12 per cent per year increase in neonatal babies requiring treatment in the Townsville area.

 

Currently, Townsville Hospital provides service for 57,000 in-patients each year.

 

The next stage of development will involve the construction of an expanded pathology centre, clinical services building and southern ward block, employing over 2630 construction workers over the duration and, on completion, employing up to 700 health care professionals.