Royal Hobart Hospital Masterplan Unveiled

Lara Giddings, MP

Premier

Tanya Plibersek

Federal Minister for Health

Michelle O’Byrne, MP

Minister for Health

Friday, 9 March 2012

Royal Hobart Hospital Masterplan Unveiled

A once-in-a-generation opportunity to modernise, expand and improve health care services for all Tasmanians has been realised in a new redevelopment masterplan for the Royal Hobart Hospital.

The Federal Minister for Health, Tanya Plibersek, today joined Tasmania’s Premier, Lara Giddings and Minister for Health, Michelle O’Byrne, in unveiling the vision for the largest development in Tasmania for a generation.

Ms Giddings said that the Australian and Tasmanian Governments’ combined capital injection of $586 million would transform the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH) into a contemporary facility delivering top-class services.

“This redevelopment represents the largest health infrastructure project we have ever seen in our state and will give the construction industry and the wider economy a crucial boost.

“Most importantly, patients from across the state will benefit from a contemporary hospital offering expanded and high quality services.

“We have not been sitting on our hands waiting for this masterplan to be completed and today we are also detailing the work that is either underway or completed and delivering tangible benefits to patients each and every day.

“The Tasmanian Government’s contribution is $237 million which will help to deliver real, tangible benefits for the state’s population.”

Federal Minister for Health, Tanya Plibersek, said the launch of the site masterplan allowed Tasmanians to see what the project will look like and how it will be used.

“Extensive planning work has been necessary to make sure the hospital can still be used while the capital works are being carried out,” said Ms Plibersek.

Ms Plibersek said the Australian Government’s contribution to the redevelopment was $340 million.

“This capital investment builds on seven other health infrastructure projects across the great state of Tasmania that the Commonwealth is contributing to – that will ensure people continue to receive the health care they need, where they need it, when they need it.”

Design plans for Royal Hobart’s the new inpatient and Women’s & Children’s precincts which will eventually front onto Campbell Street at the end of the current stage are also on show.

Ms Giddings said that these new precincts would improve services for patients and expand the hospital’s bed capacity to serve the people of Tasmania into the future.

“The Women’s and Children’s precinct will deliver integrated services including a first for a Tasmanian hospital – a dedicated adolescent unit, with flexible design to allow for the appropriate inclusion and treatment of adolescent mental health patients.

“This is something I have worked passionately on for years and today we are delivering,” Ms Giddings said.

The inpatient precinct, incorporating all inpatient and complementary services, will be completed early 2016 and will include:

· Additional capacity for operating theatres and procedure rooms including increased endoscopy rooms
· Additional bed capacity across inpatient wards including more flexible use of beds and an increased number of single bed rooms
· Improved surgical intervention and diagnostic facilities, including a 23 hour unit
· Co-location of functional services, such as outpatient clinics and associated support services to provide improved patient flow.

Ms O’Byrne said that the Tasmanian Government was delivering on its 2009 commitment to rebuild RHH facilities and services from the inside out, with many aspects of the redevelopment works already underway or completed.

Phase 1 of the RHH Redevelopment has already delivered:

Ø Upgraded clinic and triage areas for the ED
Ø a new equipment coordination store
Ø a significant upgrade of treatment areas for the Renal Unit at New Town
Ø an expanded and upgraded Department of Medical Imaging including a new PET-CT suite, new fluoroscopy and ultrasound suites.

The upgrade had also included work on fire services, air conditioning, lifts, hydraulics and power and water supply.

Other works which are also part of Phase I under construction include:

Ø expanding capacity for the Intensive Care Unit
Ø creation of a new Assessment and Planning Unit, adjacent to the Emergency Department (commencing in April)
Ø expanding and improving accommodation for outpatient clinics at the Repat Centre
Ø Wellington Centre (Argyle Street) airbridge construction and fit-out to enable relocation of outpatient clinics later this year
Ø and a new production kitchen at Cambridge to increase capacity which will commence operations later this month

Construction of the new Cancer Centre has commenced with a new linear accelerator bunker underway and the awarding of a contract for other works is imminent.

Phase 2 (Cancer Centre) and Phase 3 will start concurrently and will develop new inpatient precincts (improving medical and surgical wards) plus dedicated Women’s and Children’s facilities, and will largely be focussed on buildings which will overlook Campbell Street.

Ms Giddings, Ms Plibersek and Ms O’Byrne expressed their appreciation to RHH staff for their support during the program of works.

“We recognise the hospital has to continue to provide its whole scope of services throughout the redevelopment and I acknowledge the contribution of staff who are working in constrained circumstances and within the complexities of current building works,” Ms O’Byrne said.