The State Government is assuring medical professionals and the public that work will begin on the new Women and Babies Hospital later this year, while announcing a new builder to carry out the project.
News in mid-May that Roberts Co, one of the builders originally chosen for the project, had gone into administration had cast doubt over whether work on the $1.8 billion project would begin this year as planned.
Premier Roger Cook announced on Wednesday that WeBuild, the European construction company that had been part of the initial joint venture partnership with Roberts Co, would deliver the hospital.
“The appointment of a managing contractor represents a very significant milestone in our new Women and Babies Hospital, helping us deliver better health outcomes for Western Australians while creating hundreds of construction jobs,” he said.
RELATED: St John of God Subiaco cancels plans for ‘world class’ birthing centre
The new hospital will replace King Edward Memorial Hospital and expand services for women, newborns and families from across WA.
Labor’s decision to locate the new hospital at the Fiona Stanley Hospital precinct has attracted criticism from health professionals and the State opposition.
The Liberals went into the March State election with plans to move the project from Murdoch to the QEII precinct.
This plan was backed by many medical professionals, including AMA (WA) which had expressed concern that failing to co-locate the new hospital with the Perth Children’s Hospital as originally planned could cause unacceptable risk of death and disability in newborns.
But the State Government’s announcement said the hospital’s location in the Fiona Stanley Hospital precinct “ensures better access for regional women and newborns through the Royal Flying Doctor Service”.
The project will also see an expansion of maternity services at Osborne Park Hospital.
It comes at a time when maternity services in Perth are in the spotlight following the closure of several private services, casting doubt on the viability of the sector.
RELATED: Private maternity and obstetrics in the spotlight
Health Infrastructure Minister John Carey said the project is continuing to progress to schedule.
Construction is planned to start later this year with the building of the first multi-deck car park to be carried out by Georgiou Group.
Works are also underway on temporary offsite car parks to support workers at the hospital precinct while the new multi-deck car park is built.
Consultation is expected to begin in June, with local government and other key stakeholders to deliver improvements to the transport network around the Fiona Stanley Hospital precinct.
Work on the hospital is expected to be completed in 2029.
Want more news, clinicals, features and guest columns delivered straight to you? Subscribe for free to WA’s only independent magazine for medical practitioners.
Want to submit an article? Email editor@mforum.com.au