New hospital set to go
Developers sign contract with builders to start work in West End
CONSTRUCTION is pushing ahead on a new $60.5 million private hospital, which will give the historic Townsville West End State School a new lease of life while boosting local employment opportunities.
After seven years working to make the Weststate Private Hospital project a reality, Geon Property chief executive Ben Griffin was ecstatic to confirm they had received the “all clear” to start work.
Mr Griffin said they had signed a 20-month contract with appointed award-winning builder Woollam Construction last month and the company was already hard at work preparing the site before construction begins in earnest in February 2022.
Construction was expected to be complete by April/may, 2023, with the hospital expected to welcome its first patients by May/june 2023.
The project will be a boon for North Queensland employment, creating about 180 jobs during construction and 170 full-time positions when open.
Set on about 8000sq m on the corner of Sturt St and Ingham Rd, the short-stay hospital will offer specialist surgical services including orthopaedics, urology and general surgery.
The five-storey hospital will include four operating theatres, a separ
ate procedure room, 22 overnight beds, 19 day surgery beds and a fourbed intensive care facility, plus facilities for pathology, pharmacy, physiotherapy and radiology.
The hospital will be delivered by
developer Geon Property in partnership with property owner Centuria Healthcare, in a deal brokered by Genera 45.
Mr Griffin praised the “unwavering support” shown by Townsville
City Council and the local community since day one.
“Achieving construction approval is terrific news for our team, which is keen to get moving on site, but it’s great news particularly for the people of Townsville and the region,” Mr Griffin said. “This hospital will provide a wide range of health services to support the growing population of the region, offer additional choice of quality healthcare and create jobs in the construction and health sectors. This is employment and healthcare that the region really needs.”
Operational components are funded by a local consortium of three surgeons who will finance 70 per cent, with the remaining 30 per cent provided by Queensland investors.
Operator Weststate Private Hospital Limited chair David Kippin said a second private hospital in Townsville would help the local health system cope with increasing demand and provide state-of-the-art services not currently available locally.
“Weststate Private Hospital Limited is proudly 100 per cent Queensland-owned and the business activity we generate, medical services plus associated activities such as catering, cleaning and other services will give a great boost to the local economy,” Mr Kippin said. “This development is a strong investment and exhibits confidence in the Townsville and North Queensland community.”
Mr Kippin said some senior appointments had already been made, including interim CEO Neil Henderson, an assistant director of nursing and a chief finance and IT manager.