Gold Coast Hospital may become aged care facility

The Queensland Health Minister has not ruled out transforming the Gold Coast Hospital at Southport into an aged care facility.

Speaking on ABC radio on 12 November, Stephen Robertson said the government will decide in the next few months how the site will be used when the new University Hospital opens at Parklands in 2012.

The Gold Coast Mayor said the Southport Hospital should become a high care centre for the aged and Mr Robertson said he is not discounting the idea.

“You can’t have two emergency departments located about four kilometres apart.

“That won’t work, but it may well be that we run other health services out of that site or dispose of part of that property,” he said.

“We just have to go through the process of deciding what our options are, so we are not ruling anything in, and not ruling anything out.

“We appreciate the suggestion from the mayor.”