Page 4528 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 26 November 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
In addition to these increases in critical care service capacity, the project offers improved access between the emergency department and critical care facilities. Importantly, SPIRE’s location within the hospital campus will ensure that critical operations such as the helipad and emergency care can continue to operate, uninterrupted by major construction works.
This complex project requires considerable planning and consultation to ensure that we deliver the best possible outcomes. Ten clinical user groups have been established that will direct and review the developing specifications and designs for the new facility. These include the emergency department, surgical and procedures areas, and medical imaging.
A consumer reference group has been established in partnership with the Health Care Consumers’ Association. This group will meet with representatives from the Canberra Hospital and the SPIRE project team on a regular basis throughout the planning and development phases of the project. As part of this initiative, consumer representatives will be a part of the design process and will be able to provide input which ensures that the SPIRE project delivers a new facility that best meets the needs of patients, carers, families and the community.
The project team is also engaging with local residents and the Garran Primary School, in addition to the broader Woden community, to capture and respond to their views and input regarding the project’s design and construction. A community reference group is being established to enable the local community to have its voice heard throughout the planning and development of the SPIRE project. This will be an important mechanism for the community to provide comment and feedback, while also recognising that ongoing engagement with the broader community will be critical.
Madam Speaker, substantial progress has been made on the SPIRE project but we still have a long way to go and many decisions on detailed design will be made over the next six to 12 months. The procurement process for the main works began at an industry briefing on 24 October. An invitation for expressions of interest for the territory’s design and construction partner was opened on 14 November. The government’s procurement approach will see a head contractor engaged next year to further develop the project’s design. This will enable pricing and further scope details to be finalised. The head contractor will then be responsible for the delivery of the capital works.
During the rest of this year and during 2020, work will continue on clinical engagement, significant stakeholder and community consultation, schematic and detailed design, and enabling works. Of course, the project’s final program will depend upon the program put forward by the territory’s construction partner during the procurement process. At this stage, the ACT government expects that main construction works will commence in 2021, with the construction of the project being complete by mid-2024, ahead of an operational commissioning period.
Onsite enabling works, in particular the movement of service areas to enable the demolition of buildings 5 and 24, are currently a key focus for the project team. Those
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video