The new Toowoomba Day Surgery reaches important milestone

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The new Toowoomba Day Surgery is forging ahead with external construction works largely completed and the internal fit-out well underway.

Members of the Darling Downs Health Board recently toured the construction works and were impressed at the speed at which the day surgery was being built.

Darling Downs Health Executive Director Infrastructure, Dr Paul Clayton said the project had met an important milestone as construction work commenced internally.

“The external construction of these types of projects happens quite quickly, from the initial breaking of the ground to the ‘lock-up’ stage took the contractor about nine months.

“The intricate work for the internal fit-out has commenced and while it might look like things have slowed down from the outside, the contractor is working really hard installing walls, fittings and services such as medical gas, water and network connectivity,” Dr Clayton said.

To be powered by the solar panels atop the roof, the facility was purposefully designed to be energy efficient through the use of specialist materials and its northern orientation to make use of natural light.

Looking forward to works being completed, Darling Downs Health Chief Executive Annette Scott PSM said the new Toowoomba Day Surgery would play an important role in delivering quality care to the community.

“When completed, we’ll have two additional theatres available for day surgeries to take place in our health service, which will ultimately lead to people receiving the care they need sooner,” Ms Scott said.

“Not only will this mean people receiving care in a state-of-the-art facility, but we’re creating a really contemporary work environment, which we know is important when it comes to attracting and retaining staff.”

Mike Horan AM, the Board Chair of Darling Downs Health, said the new day surgery will complement the existing capability offered by Darling Downs Health.

“Ahead of the new Toowoomba Hospital, which will be completed in late 2027, we are continuing to identify complementary opportunities to improve the services we provide to the community.

“The new Toowoomba Day Surgery will be a state-of-the-art facility intentionally designed to allow a large number of patients from across the region to receive care on any given day. The additional capacity to complete day surgeries at the Baillie Henderson campus will allow the health service to see more people and provide the services they need,”

Mike Horan AM, the Board Chair of Darling Downs Health

Built over 4,462 square metres, the New Toowoomba Day Surgery has been designed to pay homage to the historic surrounds located on the Baillie Henderson Hospital campus, with decorative elements reflecting the Bunya Pines situated around the site and brickwork sympathetic to those used some hundred years ago.

The 42-million-dollar facility was funded by the Department of Health and will be operational in 2024.