Construction of Peel Health Campus to start in November

11/9/96

Construction of the new $38.1 million Peel Health Campus is expected to begin in November, Health Minister Kevin Prince announced today.

Mr Prince will present to Cabinet a Heads of Agreement - involving a consortium, led by Health Solutions WA, Leighton Contractors and international financier BZW Australia - for the construction, management and financing of the new public and private hospital by the end of this month.

Mr Prince said the State Government would finalise a construction contract with Leighton Contractors within weeks and it would set in concrete plans for the long-awaited hospital.

"I am pleased to say the bulk of the extremely complex negotiations concerning the construction, management and financing of the project have now been finalised," he said.

"While there has been concern expressed at the length of time it has taken to finalise the construction and management details of the new health campus, I am confident that it will result in substantially improved health services for the people of Mandurah."

Mr Prince met today with the board of the Mandurah Hospital and informally addressed staff on the state of negotiations and anticipated changes which were likely to result from the expanded facility.

Mr Prince said Cabinet recently approved plans to increase the size of the existing Mandurah hospital by about 13,000 sqm. The new hospital would provide a 110-bed public component, as well as a 20-bed private collocated hospital and the State Government would replace the Community Trust as the ownership vehicle for the new hospital.

Other extra services and facilities would include:

·   an 18-place day hospital;

·   inpatient rehabilitation services;

·   two alternative birthing suites;

·   an additional entry and link;

·   a creche; and -

·   additional Community Health services.

"This new hospital will be nearly three times as large as the current hospital and will require additional staff to operate effectively, which will mean increased job and career opportunities for existing staff," Mr Prince said.

Both the Government and the Health Solutions' consortium had agreed in principle to the management arrangements for the hospital and negotiations were expected to be finalised shortly.

Under the arrangement, Health Solutions would be awarded a 20-year services contract to manage the campus.

Mr Prince said Health Solutions would begin discussions with staff at the Mandurah hospital today to ensure a smooth transition from public to private management.

"Health Solutions will assume responsibility for staff before the new hospital opens, but that transfer is not expected to occur until early next year," he said.

"To ensure that local interests and needs are catered for, a special community and consumer advisory group will be formed to provide customers and patients with information on the services being provided by the expanded hospital."

Media contact: Kirsten Stoney 366 0300