policy
State Funding Creates 180 New Jobs at Sunshine Coast University Hospital
The Act directs state funding to 180 new clinical and support positions at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital in Birtinya while extending infrastructure works on the existing campus.
How we reported this
The Health Infrastructure Amendment Act 2026, passed by the Queensland Parliament on 2 July, requires the state health department to allocate capital and recurrent funding to regional hospital projects, including the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
State budget papers released in May identified the Sunshine Coast as one of five priority regions for additional health infrastructure spending over the next four years, driven by population growth recorded in the 2021 census and subsequent ABS estimates for the Sunshine Coast local government area.
Jobs and services for Sunshine Coast residents
The legislation requires 180 full-time equivalent positions to be created at the Birtinya hospital by June 2028, covering nursing, allied health, administration and facilities maintenance roles. Local residents seeking employment in these categories will be able to apply through the Queensland Health recruitment portal once the first tranche of positions is advertised in the second half of 2026.
Existing patients at the hospital will see expanded outpatient clinics and an additional 22 overnight beds funded under the same Act, with the government projecting the works to be completed by the end of 2027. Residents in Maroochydore, Caloundra and hinterland communities will have access to these services without referral to Brisbane facilities for a wider range of procedures.
The 2026-27 state budget papers list a $142 million line item for the Sunshine Coast University Hospital expansion, of which $47 million is tagged for workforce costs in the first two years. Policy analysts note that this figure appears in the health capital program section of Budget Paper 3.
Implementation timeline
The Department of Health must submit an annual compliance report to the parliament by 30 September each year detailing recruitment numbers and capital expenditure at each listed site. Construction tenders for the additional ward and clinic space are expected to be released in August 2026, with local contractors invited to bid under the existing Queensland Government procurement guidelines.