The first radiation oncology facility for Cairns is on track for its opening in July next year - when it will start providing local services for most of the city's cancer patients who need radiation treatment.
The Australian Government is contributing $8.3 million towards the radiation oncology facility in Cairns - alongside the Queensland Government investment in the facility which is being provided as part of the State Government's major $446 million redevelopment of Cairns Base Hospital.
About 400 cancer patients a year are expected to benefit from local radiation treatment in Cairns when the facility opens.
Two radiation-proof bunkers will be constructed in the radiation oncology facility in the Cairns Base Hospital. Initially, one linear accelerator will be used to deliver local radiation oncology treatment - with a provision for a second machine when required.
At the moment, patients who need this care need to travel to Brisbane or Townsville.
This project at Cairns Base Hospital means that local radiation treatment will be provided for conditions like prostate cancer or breast cancer. Rare and complex cancer care, such as for head and neck cancers, will continue to be treated at the major tertiary hospitals - in Brisbane or Townsville.
A funding agreement was signed between the Commonwealth and the Queensland Government on 10 February 2009 for the Commonwealth's funding contribution. The Queensland Government will be providing the remaining funds required to complete the project.
Construction earthworks commenced on the site last September. The building is expected to be completed by June this year, with the cancer centre fit-out from then until February next year.
The Queensland Government will be managing the operating arrangements for the radiation oncology facility, including choosing whether to use a private operator.
In this year's federal Budget, the Government provided $3.2 billion for Health and Hospitals Fund (HHF) infrastructure projects, $1.3 billion of which was for the National Cancer Statement including $560 million to create a network of best practice regional cancer centres and associated accommodation facilities.
As well, the first Cairns patients are expected be treated locally by James Cook University dental students from January 2011 at the university's new, federally-funded school of dentistry being built in Smithfield, Cairns. Similar services will start in the Mackay campus from 2012.
The new school of dentistry in the Cairns campus of James Cook University is being built with $49.5 million of federal funding - which was necessary due to the general shortage of dentists in Australia, particularly in rural and regional areas.
The initiative means hundreds of Northern Queenslanders will benefit directly from dental services provided through JCU's Clinical Outreach Program, which received $7.2 million for this work.
The Clinical Outreach Program will provide infrastructure and resources for the clinical training of James Cook University's dentistry students in remote localities.
The dental school in Cairns enrolled 66 students last year - the first year the dental program was offered. This year, 62 students enrolled.