General News
13 January, 2026
Helipad matter of urgency
A NEW multi-million dollar helipad at Cairns Hospital was a matter of urgency and the difference between life and death, says health chief Leena Singh.
The Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service chief executive officer has responded to claims by Cairns MP Michael Healy that the landing platform was not a high priority and that the LNP government should be fast-tracking surgical centre beds instead.
But Ms Singh said in a statement that the health service had received formal advice from QGAir that the esplanade helipad no longer met compliance standards for newer, larger helicopters used for medical retrievals, including their clearance requirements.
“This is why we have progressed with the logical plan to shift our helipad to a new rooftop location, where it will fit the requirements of modern emergency services,” she said.
“Without a resolution to this issue, all helicopter transfers – including the most critical cases – would be diverted to Cairns Airport. This would have added a 10-15-minute ambulance transfer for critically-ill patients. It would have also involved a 20-minute round trip for a senior emergency department doctor and paramedics.”
