- The Crisafulli Government's 2025-26 Budget is delivering safer hospitals across Queensland.
- An additional $8.7 million in the Budget will grow the Healthcare Ambassador workforce and provide resources for Healthcare Security Officers to ensure patients and staff are kept safe.
- The security boost comes on top of the fully-funded Hospital Rescue Plan, which will deliver a safer and expanded Redcliffe Hospital with at least 210 new beds and expanded services.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering safer hospital across Queensland, with Budget funding of $8.7 million going towards boosting hospital security for staff and patients.
The 2025-26 Budget lays the foundations for a fresh start to help heal Labor's Health Crisis with a fully-funded Hospital Rescue Plan, more free healthcare under the Easier Access to Health Services Plan and a record $33.1 billion heath investment across the State.
The $8.7 million Budget funding will boost the Healthcare Ambassador workforce and provide additional resources for Healthcare Security Officers.
The funding also builds on measures that are currently being rolled out by the Crisafulli Government, including the delivery of body-worn cameras for all security staff, more CCTV, and establishing fixed duress alarms.
The Crisafulli Government's security investment to ensure staff and patients are kept safe, sits alongside the $18.5 billion fully-funded Hospital Rescue Plan which will deliver 2,600 new beds across Queensland, three new and 10 expanded hospitals, and new and upgraded health and ambulance facilities.
This includes $1.3 billion allocated for new and expanded car parks, including at Redcliffe, to provide safe and affordable car parking for patients, visitors, and hospital staff.
The Budget is also delivering funding to grow our health workforce by 46,000 health professionals by 2032, including more than 4,500 additional staff in the next year.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said the funding would go towards an additional 12 Security Ambassadors to be recruited across Queensland's Hospital and Health Services.
"We are delivering the fully-funded Hospital Rescue Plan and Easier Access to Health Services right across Queensland," Minister Nicholls said.
"Our Security Ambassadors are specially-trained officers who play an integral role in building relationships with patients and visitors and assisting clinical staff to de-escalate situations by acting early to help anyone they see becoming agitated or distressed.
"This model has been a powerful de-escalation strategy and is now permanently embedded in many of our hospitals and emergency departments, with further sites being investigated."
Member for Redcliffe Kerri-Anne Dooley said there are currently 21 security officers and two ambassadors at Redcliffe Hospital.
"Patient and staff safety are paramount, and this additional investment in security reflects that," Ms Dooley said. "Our hardworking health staff in Redcliffe provide expert care for our community every day and they deserve to feel safe during every shift."
Minister Nicholls said that work was progressing on the Redcliffe Hospital Expansion which will deliver at least 210 new overnight beds – six more than Labor promised – along with more services including maternity, endoscopy, and operating theatres.
"Labor rushed planning and didn't properly consult with clinicians, leaving the design unsafe and missing critical scope items," Minister Nicholls said. "Redcliffe Hospital clinicians and executives are working closely with the design team to make sure that the clinical priorities are being addressed and that the omissions and issues caused by Labor's lack of consultation are being appropriately addressed to their satisfaction.
"Current design iterations have addressed key issues, including the culturally significant tree, hospital clinical priorities that were not originally programmed like a transit lounge, and safe entries and exits for staff and patients."
