- The Crisafulli Government is delivering an additional $2.8 million for regional and rural Queenslanders in the Far North to receive the surgeries they need, sooner and closer to home.
- The investment will see the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health deliver an additional 560 elective surgeries.
- The funding increase builds on the Crisafulli Government's record $1.75 billion investment into elective surgery over the next four years.
- The Crisafulli Government is delivering easier access to health services and a plan for Queensland's future.
Hundreds more Queenslanders in the Far North will receive life-changing surgeries sooner under the Crisafulli Government's additional $2.8 million investment to further stabilise rural and regional hospital elective surgery waitlists.
The funding boost will support Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Services to reduce long waits for elective surgery patients and increase the volume of procedures in key specialties including orthopaedics, general surgery, urology, reconstructive plastics and ophthalmology.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said the boost would deliver faster care and better outcomes for patients in the Far North, as the Crisafulli Government continued to fix Labor's Health Crisis after a decade of decline.
"This $2.8 million investment means an extra 560 elective surgeries for people living in the Far North," Minister Nicholls said.
"For many patients, this isn't just a shorter wait time - it's about getting back to work, returning to hobbies and activities, or simply being able to enjoy daily life without pain or discomfort.
"Labor's legacy after 10 years of inaction was to leave Queensland with a Health Crisis.
"Since being elected, we've been working hard to stabilise the elective surgery waitlist and our efforts to date have already seen a 16 per cent decrease in the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service's elective surgery waitlist.
"These patients are telling us they're getting back on their feet sooner, and that's exactly what this investment is about - improving quality of life for Queenslanders no matter where they live.
"Today's announcement builds on the record $1.75 billion invested in elective surgery over four years, plus our $100 million Surgery Connect Surge.
"As of 1 January 2026, the statewide elective surgery waitlist has dropped more than 7 per cent from its December 2024 peak.
"Since July, more than 13,142 patients have received surgery through Surgery Connect statewide, a 131 per cent increase on the same period last year.
"We're delivering on our commitment to ensure Queenslanders, especially those in regional and rural areas, can access the care they need faster and closer to home."
