Public Works Committee: New Mount Barker Hospital Clinical Services Building and Central Energy Plant

Ms HOOD (Adelaide) (11:34): I move:

That the 152^nd report of the committee, entitled New Mount Barker Hospital—Clinical Services Building and Central Energy Plant, be noted.

The proposed works from the Department for Health and Wellbeing (SA Health) constitute the next stage of the new Mount Barker hospital development, following the previously approved enabling and early works package in October 2024 as well as the multideck car park and structural works for the clinical services building approved in June this year. Considered as the main works, this project will complete the clinical services building and build the central energy plant. The works do not include the decommissioning phase, which will be subject to a future submission to the Public Works Committee.

Mount Barker District Soldiers' Memorial Hospital is operated by the Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network. It is currently a 34-bed facility providing services including 24-hour accident and emergency, inpatient and day patient surgical and medical services, obstetrics and gynaecology, chemotherapy, renal dialysis, palliative care, allied health and community-based services. There is an increasing health service demand in the catchment area driven by the rapidly growing population in Mount Barker and the Adelaide Hills, and the facility will require additional beds to meet the demand on services and emergency care.

The new Mount Barker hospital is being built on the existing hospital site. The plan is to triple the inpatient capacity from 34 to 102 beds while also expanding specialist beds, providing new outpatient and community health facilities, establishing an onsite pharmacy and establishing a new mental health unit. When completed, the main works package will address the existing inpatient capacity challenges. The scope of works for the clinical services building (CSB) will include:

a new purpose-built L-shaped building of approximately 16,600 square metres across five levels, including one level of engineering and plant space;

a 28-bed women's and children's inpatient unit;

a 28-bed acute inpatient unit;

a 28-bed subacute inpatient unit, including six palliative care beds;

a 12-bed mental health inpatient unit;

three operating theatres;

four birthing rooms and two women's assessment rooms;

the central sterile supply department;

an allied health department comprising clinical support spaces, 15 places of care, consult and interview rooms, podiatry treatment rooms and a gymnasium;

a paediatric outpatient clinic inclusive of consult and multidisciplinary therapy rooms;

an outpatient department comprising consult rooms and an echocardiogram procedure room;

an Aboriginal health unit inclusive of four consult rooms and service area;

pharmacy departments, medication rooms, clean and dirty utility spaces, general equipment stores and biomedical equipment stores;

on-ward staff stations and clinical workrooms;

on-ward staff amenities, including respite rooms, office space, meeting areas, toilets and lockers;

administrative departments;

back-of-house functions, including kitchen, linen, loading dock and change rooms;

education support areas; and

a dedicated main plant floor, including thermal plant, cooling tower heat pumps, service risers, air-handling units, hot water plant, building management system and provision for a solar power system.

The central energy plant will be constructed adjacent to the CSB with two standalone buildings. The scope of works will include a bulk oxygen tank; water storage and treatment plant; a bottle store for medical gas bottles; a manifold room for medical gas distribution; a suction plant for vacuum pumps, filters and storage tanks; a medical and tool air plant for air quality management; the main switchboard and distribution room; an equipment store for allied health; and acoustic treatment for noise reduction.

Further civil works and car parking will include 25 new at-grade car parks to the north of the multideck car park; 30 new at-grade car parks at the CSB; modifications to the existing Summit car park; modifications to the CSB access road from Wellington Road; a new South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service vehicle path; a new hardstand loading area, recessed dock and three at-grade car parks for maintenance vehicles at the energy plant; and associated minor hard and soft landscaping works.

The project is expected to cost $240.7 million, which is included within the hospital development project budget of $365.8 million. Construction of the central energy plant is expected to commence this quarter, to be complete in October next year. Main construction of the CSB will commence this October, with the anticipation for clinical commissioning to be complete in November 2027.

The delivery of the project will follow best practice principles for project procurement and management, as advocated by the state government and construction industry authorities. This includes:

development of formal communication channels;

preparation and management of a project program;

establishment of a cost plan and management of project cost;

scheduling regular reviews of design, documentation and construction;

appointment of professional service contractors;

identifying risks and implementing mitigation strategies; and

compliance with relevant planning, development and infrastructure legislation.

The professional services contractor team has been appointed and secondary professional service contractors may be engaged as required for specific project aspects. In order to qualify for invitation to tender, both the professional services contractor and managing contractor are to maintain current Department for Infrastructure and Transport pre-qualification levels for the design and delivery of state government infrastructure projects.

To manage the project through planning and implementation, as well as manage any risks and issues arising, a two-tier governance structure has been established, including an executive steering committee responsible for strategic oversight, and an integrated management team responsible for day-to-day operational management. Risks identified include:

the proximity of construction works to an operational clinical environment, for which the project team is in ongoing communication with site management and patients attending the hospital;

requirement for service cutovers to ensure continued operation of the existing hospital, for which the project team is planning service diversion where acquired;

requirement for temporary facilities to ensure continued operation of the hospital; and

traffic management and contractor vehicle interface with Wellington Road.

A search of the central archive identified no Aboriginal heritage in the proposed work locations. There is no registration of state heritage in vicinity to the site. The department is in ongoing consultation with various stakeholder groups and is working closely with key facilities management personnel from the local health network to ensure safe operations continue throughout the life of the project.

The local health network's governing board has also been engaged throughout each stage of the clinical aspects of the project, and the network will manage required communications around site planning and logistics to ensure hospital end users receive appropriate information concerning the development. Broader consultation on the new Mount Barker hospital project is ongoing, including with clinicians, workforce, industrial bodies, and the Mount Barker and Adelaide Hills communities.

The committee examined written and oral evidence in relation to the new Mount Barker hospital clinical services building and central energy plant. Witnesses who appeared before the committee were: Melissa Nozza, Director, Capital Projects, Infrastructure, Department for Health and Wellbeing; Dave Forster, Director General, Government of South Australia; Kylie Williams, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network; Layton Waters, Manager, Major Projects, Department for Infrastructure and Transport; and Matthew Raven, Director, Swanbury Penglase Architects. I thank the witnesses for their time. I would also like to thank the member for Kavel for his written statement in support of this project in his electorate.

Based upon the evidence considered and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Public Works Committee reports to parliament that it recommends the proposed public work.

Motion carried.