Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service Board Chairman Clive Skarott and Chief Executive Leena Singh
New and expanded services to meet record patient demand have been highlighted in the latest annual report for the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service.
During the 2022-2023 financial year, there was 24,457 presentations to emergency departments across the Cairns and Hinterland district, representing an 11 per cent increase on the previous year – the highest number of ED presentations in history for the Health Service.
CHHHS Board Chairman Clive Skarott thanked the tireless efforts of staff, providing care and treatment for Far Northern residents and visitors.
‘The last financial year represented a massive year for our Health Service,’ he said.
‘Throughout the 2022-2023 financial year, our staff performed 7,101 emergency and 8,372 elective surgeries at Cairns Hospital,’ he said.
‘Our Health Service also provided 459,321 outpatient occasions of service.
‘Our staff are our greatest asset, and we thank them for all they do to provide such compassionate and exceptional care to our patients and community.’
Mr Skarott said a record $1.294 billion was invested in public health services across the region, averaging $3.5 million per day.
‘To service our growing population, which is predicted to reach up to 241,000 within the next 25 years, we launched new and expanded services during the last financial year,’ he said.
He said the Health Service ended the financial year with an operating deficit of $9.9 million, compared to a deficit of $1.01 million during the previous year.
‘Our expenditure increased last financial year primarily due to new and expanded services, including commissioning a new 45-bed sub-acute care and rehabilitation unit at Oregon St in Manoora,’ he said.
‘This has allowed us to have additional space at Cairns Hospital for the establishment of a Surgical Orthopaedic Assessment Unit, which has increased patient flow through our hospital.’
CHHHS Chief Executive Leena Singh said the Health Service was further addressing population growth in the region through major infrastructure projects such as the $250 million Cairns Hospital Expansion Project.
‘This project will deliver a new surgical centre and an additional 96 beds at Cairns Hospital,’ she said.
‘Construction is also ongoing on the $70 million three-storey Mental Health Unit, which is expected to be completed in mid-2024.
‘The $26.5 million emergency department expansion, which is also underway and expected to be completed in early-2024, will deliver additional capacity, a dedicated X-ray suite and refurbished resuscitation areas.
‘And we recently officially opened the $86.4 million Atherton Hospital Clinical Services Building, which has provided a new emergency department, X-ray, operating theatres, medical and maternity wards for the Tablelands community.’
Ms Singh said the Health Service was focussed on provision of health services well into the future.
‘Last financial year, our Local Area Needs Assessment helped us chart a course for the years to come, in terms of what resources are needed, and where,’ she said.
‘We have worked with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), Elders and community members to codesign the Health Equity Strategy and Implementation Plan, which will provide actions to improve health outcomes and patient experiences.
‘Our focus is to enhance our presence in the research, education and innovation space.
‘The first stage of this transition is the Cairns Health Innovation Centre (CHIC), of which the Detailed Business Case is underway, and expected to be completed by the end of this year.’