Construction work on Maleny Soldiers Memorial Hospital in Queensland, Australia, is set to start in late September.

The A$2.8m ($1.8m) hospital upgrade is aimed at improving healthcare in the Maleny area.

During construction, some of the patient ward beds will be temporarily moved to Nambour General Hospital, but the hospital's emergency department and specialist services will stay open.

Exterior construction will begin in September while interior construction will commence in November.

Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman said: “We know that the Maleny region is growing, and these works will ensure the facility and its healthcare workers can continue to deliver the best healthcare possible.

“These works form part of the largest infrastructure expansion programme ever undertaken by a Queensland Government to deliver an investment in health for our communities.

“This A$2.8m investment will see a significant infrastructure uplift, including internal and external works, a new mechanical plant, and a new roof.

“I am proud to be part of a government that continues to deliver on its infrastructure commitments and supports the delivery of world-class healthcare, no matter where people live.”

Being part of the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service, the Maleny Soldiers Hospital offers accident and emergency care, a subacute rehabilitation unit, inpatient care, and community services.

A tertiary-level teaching hospital, Sunshine Coast University Hospital serves approximately 460,000 people in the Sunshine Coast and Gympie regions.