What’s happening?
Mackay has been named among the Queensland regions set to benefit from a major expansion of the Surgery Connect program.
The Crisafulli Government says the program will help more Queenslanders receive elective surgery sooner by partnering with private hospitals and healthcare providers. The support will cover high-demand procedures such as cataract surgery, joint replacements, ear, nose and throat procedures, and other operations that can restore mobility, independence and quality of life.
For Mackay patients, the expansion is aimed at improving access to care while easing pressure on public hospitals. Other regions included in the expanded provider network are the Gold Coast, Brisbane South, Townsville, Wide Bay, Toowoomba and Brisbane North.
Why it matters?
Long waits for elective surgery can affect people well beyond the hospital system. Patients may be living with pain, reduced movement, delayed treatment, or less independence while they wait for planned procedures.
The Queensland Government says Surgery Connect is already helping reduce pressure on the elective surgery waitlist by using extra capacity through contracted providers. Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said the program was delivering real outcomes for people who had spent too long waiting for care.
“Every surgery delivered through Surgery Connect is a Queenslander getting their life back sooner,” Minister Nicholls said.
“When we came to government, Labor had left Queenslanders waiting too long for surgery and our hospitals under immense pressure.
“We are turning that around. This $247 million investment will deliver thousands more surgeries and procedures, ensuring more Queenslanders can access the care they need sooner.
“By continuing to partner with private hospitals and healthcare providers, we are delivering easier access to health services, reducing wait times and fixing Labor’s Health Crisis.”
Local Impact
Mackay is one of the regions where new service providers are joining Surgery Connect, giving Queensland Health more support to deliver planned procedures.
The local benefit is the potential for more patients to move through the system sooner, particularly for operations that affect mobility, hearing, vision and daily quality of life. While the program is statewide, Mackay’s inclusion means the region is part of the expanded network being used to increase surgical capacity.
The announcement also sits within the Government’s wider health plan, which includes new and expanded hospitals across Queensland. The Government says the fully funded Hospital Rescue Plan will support world-class healthcare closer to home, including more hospital beds across the state.
By The Numbers
The figures show the scale of the program and how it fits into Queensland’s wider health funding plan.
- The 2026-27 Budget includes $247 million for Surgery Connect, with the funding aimed at delivering more than 25,000 elective surgeries across Queensland.
- Surgery Connect has delivered more than 35,000 procedures since February 2025, while Queensland’s elective surgery waitlist has fallen by 8,136 from a peak of 66,632 to 58,496.
- The wider Health Budget totals $35.5 billion, including a fully funded Hospital Rescue Plan for three new hospitals, ten expanded hospitals and more than 2,600 additional beds.
Zoom In
The Surgery Connect expansion adds 11 new service providers across Queensland, bringing the total number of contracted providers to 32.
Those providers will work with Queensland Health across areas including Mackay, the Gold Coast, Brisbane South, Townsville, Wide Bay, Toowoomba and Brisbane North. The Government says this partnership model will help deliver more elective surgeries sooner by making use of capacity outside the public hospital system.
The program forms part of a record $1.8 billion investment in elective surgery. According to the Government, Surgery Connect has delivered more than double the number of procedures completed during the same period under the former Labor Government.
Zoom Out
The announcement is part of the Crisafulli Government’s broader message on health access and hospital pressure across Queensland.
The Government says the elective surgery waitlist had reached 66,632 after years of increases, before falling to 58,496. It also says ambulance ramping fell to 34.5 per cent in April 2026, the lowest level since January 2021, after reaching 45.5 per cent during Labor’s last year in office.
For regional communities such as Mackay, the wider issue is access. Extra surgery providers may help reduce wait times, but the longer-term test will be how much relief patients see across local hospitals and specialist services.
What To Look For Next?
More detail may be provided as the new Surgery Connect providers begin working with Queensland Health in Mackay and the other named regions.
Patients waiting for elective surgery will be looking for clearer access to procedures covered under the program, including cataract surgery, joint replacements and ear, nose and throat operations.
**Source: Department of the Premier and Cabinet
