Hospital revamp go- ahead
THE Mater Hospital is set to proceed with a $ 100 million redevelopment of its Pimlico campus, creating hundreds of jobs, as it positions the facility for substantial growth in services.
Mater Health Services North Queensland detailed its plans, including the reopening of its emergency department next month, at a business breakfast yesterday.
Mater board chairman Pat Brady and CEO Gerard Wyvill said the redevelopment would position the hospital to further increase its depth of medical services and attract new specialties.
Wherever possible they would look to the local community to provide services for the redevelopment, Mr Brady said.
The redevelopment involves a new entrance and the building of a new wing on Lothair St, with a section of that street closed, to provide four new operating theatres, an expanded day surgery and new medical imaging facilities.
The hospital is negotiating with a local developer to build new medical suites and multi- storey carpark on Diprose St in a partnership arrangement.
Mr Brady said that component involved the developer buying the land and developing and selling about 3000sq m of strata- titled medical suites. He said the Mater would likely take a position in the development by acquiring suites and would lease back the car park with about 420 parking bays.
“We are hopeful of signing a devel- opment agreement with a local developer within a couple of weeks,” Mr Brady said.
The Mater last week called expressions of interest for design and construction of the Lothair St wing with a start of work on both the Lothair St and Diprose St facilities expected to begin in early 2018 for an 18- month build time.
Mr Brady said the hospital’s emergency department was due to open on September 25. The hospital is reopening a facility closed 15 years ago.
Mr Brady said the emergency department would provide a “clinical front door” to the hospital.
“For some time we have had an administrative front door where you know where to check in, but if you have an emergency and need to access the hospital, for some time that’s been more difficult,” Mr Brady said.
“So the emergency department allows a clinical front door to the hospital.”
He said they would provide an alternative to the Townsville Hospital’s public emergency department, particularly at times when that facility was overstretched.
Mr Brady said they expected to see about 30 to 40 people a day with an average wait time of 10 minutes.