General News
26 November, 2025
100-plus patients in limbo
MORE than 100 patients are languishing in Cairns Hospital, unable to leave until the Australian Government finds places in aged care and for National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) assistance.
The state government says the cost is $2.5 million a day which should be met by the federal government.
Through no fault of their own, 109 stranded patients are occupying beds in Cairns HHS facilities, including 27 younger and 82 older patients, who have been medically cleared for discharge but remain in hospital.
Funding for the NDIS and aged care is primarily the responsibility of the Australian Government.
The older patients cost the health system $1.91m every day and a further 290 younger NDIS patients are also awaiting discharge, adding $660,000 per day.
Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service chief executive Leena Singh said a busy hospital environment was not an appropriate location for patients requiring long-term care.
federal government spokeswoman said negotiations were underway to finalise a deal on hospital funding and NDIS reforms, with the matter expected to be finalised by the end of the year.
