An early artist’s impression of the render of the proposed Northside Hospital. Enabling works are expected to start in 2025-26. Image: ACT Government.
The ACT Government is moving ahead with plans to build a new Northside Hospital in Bruce, seeking contractors to deliver the $1 billion project.
An expression of interest process is now open for contractors with expertise in constructing health facilities to work on early planning and design and then potentially build the new hospital, to be sited on the North Canberra Hospital campus in Bruce, formerly Calvary Public.
Interested contractors will be shortlisted and invited to respond to a Request for Tender stage. The government has said construction would start mid-decade.
The new hospital will be Canberra’s most significant health infrastructure project and will follow the completion of the new Critical Services Building at Canberra Hospital, which will open in August.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said at the time that the need for a new hospital to meet growing demand on the northside motivated last year’s takeover of Calvary Public.
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said Canberra’s northside would continue to grow in the coming decades.
“Planning now for a bigger, modern hospital will provide Canberrans with access to more health services closer to home,” she said.
Ms Stephen-Smith said the government was seeking a partner who shares its vision for a modern hospital with patients and staff at the centre of the design and one that would be energy efficient, sustainable and operating in a net-zero environment.
“The new northside hospital will deliver a welcoming and world-class facility that replaces the ageing infrastructure on the Bruce campus,” she said.
“It will have more treatment spaces, a bigger emergency department and state-of-the-art equipment for our workforce.
“Most importantly, it will provide greater capacity for our health care system and ensure Canberrans can continue to access quality public health care across the ACT as our population grows and health needs change.”
Ms Stephen-Smith said it was important to get a contractor on board early in the current competitive infrastructure market so that the ACT could secure that expertise and retain some flexibility.
She said the government was already working to a tight timeframe, with construction expected to begin by mid-decade.
The EOI document states enabling works are expected to start in 2025-26, with demolition to follow.
The detailed design phase and potential construction offer are not expected until 2026-27.
The EOI document said: “This transformational project will address the challenges of the future by providing high-quality, person-centred care in an environment that incorporates the latest advances in technology and additional capacity to accommodate increased demand now and well into the future.”
Responses to the EOI request close on 20 June. The successful delivery partner is expected to be announced in late 2024.
Ms Stephen-Smith said the government was still awaiting Calvary Health Care’s compensation claim from the takeover. Calvary has 12 months to submit its claim, which expires on 3 July.
The government was still negotiating with Calvary on transition costs.
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