National

Qld govt to spend $750m on cancer centre

By AAP Newswire

Jun 13, 2022

ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK HEALTH ANNOUNCEMENT — Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced $750 million for a new cancer centre in Brisbane. -AAP Image

Queenslanders with cancer will be able to access specialist treatments more easily at a planned $750 million facility, which is also expected take pressure off the hospital emergency departments.

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Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Monday announced funding for a new Queensland Cancer Centre at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.

Ms Palaszczuk said the Australian-first facility will bring together cancer therapies for the 20,000 Queenslanders diagnosed every year.

"Some of these cases and people have very complex issues, and to have a state of the art facility under one roof ... this is exactly what Queensland needs," she told reporters.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said the centre will have 150 beds and free up a further 59 in the hospital system, which should ease pressure on emergency departments.

She said the number of Queenslanders diagnosed with cancer every year is expected to rise by almost 10,000 to about 30,000 by 2036.

"We have a responsibility to do everything we can to provide the highest quality care and treatment for people who are diagnosed with cancer," Ms D'Ath said.

The government expects construction work on the centre to start in 2024, and be completed in 2028.