Japanese and NI firms land £40m health centre contract
A JAPANESE firm and a Northern Ireland company have won a £40m contract for a new healthcare centre in Lisburn that will create 250 new jobs.
Construction giant Kajima told the Belfast Telegraph that it was hoping to pick up more contracts in Northern Ireland — and is already preferred bidder on a care centre in Newry.
Kajima announced it would work on the new primary and community care centre in Lisburn as part of a consortium, GPG O’Hare, with other parties including Newry-based O’Hare & McGovern.
The centre at Lagan Valley Hospital will bring together eight GP practices and other services. It replaces an existing health centre at Linenhall Street.
Work is due to start next year, with the building opening in 2021. Its construction is expected to create 250 jobs.
The centre will be jointly funded by GPG O’Hare and Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale (NORD/LB).
GPG O’Hare was picked for the project by the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust.
It is expected that the trust will lease the centre from the developer, with the option to buy when the lease expires.
Graham Asset Management, part of Hillsborough-based Graham group, will provide the facilities management requirements for the new facility over the contract term. Kajima said the Lisburn deal was its first in Northern Ireland, but added: “We definitely want to do more work in Northern Ireland in both healthcare and social care and are always looking out for suitable opportunities.
“We are also preferred bidder on the Newry Community Care and Treatment Centre, and are working away at trying to get that deal to financial close. We expect this to be sometime in quarter one 2019.”
The centre will also have outpatient and diagnostic services, and specialisms including children’s services and adult mental health.
Hugh McCaughey, chief executive of the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, said the centre would deliver on its model of care, “Where we bring services closer to the patient’s home”.
“We are confident that this new development will transform how care is provided in Lisburn and the surrounding area,” he added.
“By moving services from an acute hospital base to a community-centred setting, with greater integration, we hope to ultimately achieve better outcomes for our patients.”
Jitesh Patel (left), project director at Kajima Partnerships, said: “This is a landmark development in healthcare provision and one which reflects our commitment to delivering outstanding facilities tailored to meet the specific needs of the community.”