The Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH) Redevelopment has reached a major milestone with foundation works underway on the new inpatient precinct which will increase bed capacity by 250.
The new hospital will mean more beds, more operating and procedure rooms, and state-of-the-art facilities to meet the health needs of Tasmanians.
A new RHH on the waterfront was first announced by Labor’s Paul Lennon in 2006, cancelled by Health Minister Lara Giddings in 2009, re-announced by David Bartlett in 2010, left in a complete mess by former Health Minister Michelle O’Byrne in 2014, then abandoned by Bec White after the election, before being saved by the Hodgman Liberal Government.
Indeed, for all their talk, Labor didn’t lay a single brick on the new hospital – it has taken a Liberal Government to turn the vision into reality.
Since our election, we’ve built a new temporary inpatient facility to allow for the demolition, opened an additional 27 beds in the South to help ease bed pressure during the rebuild, and overseen the demolition of the old building to allow for construction of the new hospital.
The project will continue to generate about $1.6 billion in economic benefit to Tasmania and create 400 direct jobs.
Since April this year, more than $110 million worth of tenders have been awarded for redevelopment works.
In ground works including detailed excavations, structural retaining walls and piling is on schedule and well underway.
Foundations are now being laid in the centre of the site that marks the base of the 12 lift wells, with more concrete pours and installation of precast concrete elements continuing.
Preparations are also underway for the arrival of the first of the two tower cranes in July and the concrete footing, that will secure the base of the cranes, is under construction.
Completion of the redevelopment remains on track for mid-2019.
With the Budget back on track the Hodgman Government is getting on with the job of delivering a health system Tasmanians deserve.