Another approach
There is no doubt that West Gippsland Hospital is in need of significant upgrades to meet demand, but I question whether a new build on a greenfield site is the only approach.
In December 2009 a master plan for the redevelopment of the hospital was presented to the board by Suters architects.
The recommended option was for redevelopment on the existing site with the alternative option for a new build on the greenfield site.
Costing for a new hospital was $2.3 million and the redevelopment of the existing building was $2.6 million. Both options included a 120 bed aged care wing.
The board was not in favour of the redevelopment on the existing site as the timeframe would have been much longer than a new build on the greenfield site.
However, redevelopment on the existing site meant that payment could have been spread over a number of budget years making the redevelopment option more achievable.
In 2010 the Liberal party formed government however, between 2010 and 2014 the government made no commitment to the hospital.
This was despite the local member Gary Blackwood being well aware of the need to address the issue regarding the hospital. Mr Blackwood had served on the hospital board and knew the constraints that the hospital was facing and had also had meetings with board representatives to discuss the need for a new hospital.
An alternative scenario could be to seek investment from industry superannuation funds or private health insurers to partner with the healthcare group to develop Lardners Track into an aged care campus with a relocated and updated Cooinda providing acute and assisted care. In addition the site is large enough to cater for retirement residences.
By moving Cooinda there would be space to begin redevelopment with less disruption and the project would cost less with funding coming from external sources for the aged care component.
It would be staged over a number of budget cycles, but with funding spread it becomes far more palatable for any government to fund.
It is now 2018 and the opposition has promised $300 million to redevelop a hospital. If the costs were estimated at $230 million in 2009 what would the cost be in today’s money.
Has the opposition taken into account the associated works that would be required for road access, power, water and re-establishing the linen service.
Will $300 million be adequate to provide the services that this growing region requires and if not, then what services will not be provided in the new hospital. Wally Marek, Warragul