Mater Hospital work nears start date
WORK will start next month on the Mater Hospital redevelopment which is set to provide jobs for 500 people.
The hospital is developing a new four- level clinical building to provide digital operating theatres, a day surgery and a new medical imaging department.
MORE than 500 people are to be employed on a $ 52 million project to redevelop the Mater Hospital in Pimlico with contractors aiming for 90 per cent local participation.
The hospital and project manager CPB Contractors outlined the development to a packed Townsville Industry Breakfast event yesterday, promising to maximise local involvement and offer early payment terms in as little as 10 days.
The hospital is developing a new four- level clinical building in Lothair St to provide stateof- the- art digital operating theatres, a day surgery that would look “more like a Qantas lounge” than a hospital and a new medical imaging department run by Queensland X- Ray.
The hospital’s projects director Josie Gabrielli said they also hoped to start construction on a second stage building on Diprose St to provide a car park and medical suites.
Ms Gabrielli said the work was part of a 10- year plan for a not- for- profit hospital that has operated in Townsville for 70 years. “The plan is a long- term view to our future,” Ms Gabrielli said. “We are investing locally to help drive impetus for change and development.”
CPB Contractors project manager Carmelo Di Bella said work on the new clinical building would start in July.
Some of the 40 work packages such as piling had gone out while others such as electrical and mechanical would be released progressively in the coming weeks.
Mr Di Bella said the work- force would peak at 90 people but that they would likely induct more than 500 people as the project progressed.
He said they found local contractors were more reliable but some specialist installers may have to come from outside the region.
“We are looking to achieve 90 per cent local participation with organisations that have a presence here,” Mr Di Bella said.
“Sometimes with hospitals you may need to bring in specialists or installers that need to be involved with particular equipment but generally you find you get a lot more success if you can get local organisations teed up with specialists,” he said.
“Therefore, you have some benefit or legacy when a project is delivered.”
Mr Di Bella said they were targeting 10 per cent training, an aspect he conceded where the industry struggled, and would offer models for early payments within 10 days.
“We understand cashflow is important to everybody,” Mr Di Bella said.