The Queensland Government’s fully funded Hospital Rescue Plan has completed the first new 32-bed ward and a dedicated trauma service delivered for Far North Queensland.

The first new ward under the Cairns Hospital Expansion delivers 28 new surgical and orthopaedic beds and four new high-care multi-trauma bays.

The Queensland Government’s Hospital Rescue Plan is delivering more than 2,600 new hospital beds for our growing State, to restore health services when Queenslanders need them most.

The new Cairns hospital beds will support more elective surgery while providing faster assessment and coordinated specialist care for patients with serious and complex injuries.

The opening coincides with Cairns Hospital achieving accreditation as a Trauma Service, bringing trauma, surgical and orthopaedic teams together and delivering health services when Far North Queenslanders need them most.

More than half of Queensland’s major trauma cases occur in regional and rural areas, making dedicated trauma capability in Cairns critical for communities across the Far North.

Work is also progressing on a further 32-bed new beds at Cairns Hospital, expected to open in 2027.

The Queensland Government is bringing new hospital beds online as procurement progresses on the more than $1 billion Cairns Hospital Expansion - the single biggest health investment in Far North Queensland.

Already the Hospital Rescue Plan and more than 10,000 additional health workers is starting to heal the Health Crisis, with Queensland’s elective surgery waitlist stabilising, down to 58,912. The Far North waitlist is down around 30 per cent, from 4,011 to 2,791.

Premier David Crisafulli said Queenslanders were starting to see the fully funded Hospital Rescue Plan come to life.

“We made a commitment we’d deliver health services when Queenslanders need them, and across the State we’re building the hospitals and adding the beds needed,” Premier Crisafulli said.

“In Cairns, that means 32 more beds and dedicated trauma care, so patients with serious injuries can get the specialist care they need.”

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said the new ward was an important step in delivering the hospital capacity Cairns needed.

“We’re delivering more capacity now, while building the hospital infrastructure Far North Queensland will rely on for decades.”

Member for Barron River Bree James said dedicated trauma care in Cairns would make a real difference for local families.

“When someone suffers a serious injury, every minute matters, and this means more Far North Queenslanders can receive specialist care here in Cairns instead of having to travel away from their families,” Ms James said.

Member for Mulgrave Terry James said the new ward was tangible progress for the Cairns community.

“We’re seeing real progress across Cairns Hospital - more beds opening now and major construction underway to deliver the healthcare our growing region needs for the future,” Mr James said.