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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-04-03 Daily Xml
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Parliamentary Committees

Public Works Committee: Women's and Children's Hospital Sustainment Project Variation—Paediatric Intensive Care Unit Upgrade

Ms HOOD (Adelaide) (11:10): I move:

That the 120th report of the committee, entitled Women's and Children's Hospital Sustainment Project Variation—Paediatric Intensive Care Unit Upgrade, be noted.

The project variation proposed by the Department for Health and Wellbeing, referred to as SA Health, will increase the scope and budget of construction works at the existing Women's and Children's Hospital as part of the ongoing sustainment works program. The original $50.2 million Women's and Children's Hospital sustainment works project was presented to the committee and tabled in the house in December 2018, with a $7 million addendum request for additional sustainment works presented and tabled in September 2022.

The Women's and Children's Hospital provides care to more than 260,000 consumers annually across outpatient and inpatient services. Over 46,000 children present to the emergency department, with approximately 5,000 babies born each year. The proposed project outlines a $10.3 million variation for additional works that will refurbish and expand the hospital's Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, alongside a related package of enabling and refurbishing works to other areas of the hospital.

The existing sustainment works program was established in early 2018, based on a prioritisation of infrastructure and engineering works, with the eventual delivery of the new Women's and Children's Hospital in mind. These works were completed in May 2022 and include operating theatres, the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, neonatal services, upgrade of the paediatric emergency department and associated infrastructure and engineering issues.

Additional sustainment works were approved by the government in December 2021 and were considered by the Public Works Committee in September 2022. These include paediatric emergency administration and treatment spaces, clinical upgrades to the adolescent ward, engineering and site infrastructure upgrades, biomedical equipment replacement and fire master plan stages 1 and 2.

The current Paediatric Intensive Care Unit has a capacity of 13 bed spaces and, during times of peak capacity, critical elective surgery lists can be impacted, reducing both the intensive care unit and high dependency unit intakes to allow for emergency trauma and critical consumer admissions. Furthermore, SA Health notes that the current Paediatric Intensive Care Unit is the only tertiary unit of its kind within South Australia, and the increased capacity will provide much-needed additional space.

As part of the 2023-24 state budget, a proposal to expand and refurbish the intensive care unit was approved by the state government to address identified compliance, accreditation and general asset condition matters. SA Health states that the budget for the proposed upgrade works is contained within the hospital's additional sustainment project on the 2024-25 agency statements.

The proposed construction works include $5.9 million for the intensive care unit expansion, with an additional three beds, including one isolation bay with ensuite. These works will also refurbish change rooms, build a new overnight sleep area for parents and family members, create a significantly larger equipment bay and storeroom, install a new reception area, provide a new anteroom and create a staff base, a four-person office and new staffrooms and lockers.

There is $3.8 million for reallocating anaesthetics, theatres, administration and Adelaide University paediatrics from level 3 to level 2. The relocation of these support areas will provide room to construct the additional intensive care beds, while also providing those relocating departments new space for additional staff and areas to conduct training and meetings. A further $620,000 is for the temporary relocation of the intensive care unit to level 4's existing medical day unit area for the duration of the main works.

The project involves multiple enabling stages and will be undertaken within an operational 24/7 hospital location. To minimise associated pressures, SA Health will deliver the works employing the appropriate government facilities management arrangements, supporting its commitment to provide reliable and effective services to the community. All aspects of project delivery will be overseen by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT). To improve the efficiency, value and outcomes from the project, the government has re-engaged the services of the current professional services team, making use of existing stakeholder relationships and specialised local knowledge of the current facility.

To maximise collaboration and flexibility when delivering the works, DIT will use established procurement, evaluation and contracting processes via the engagement of a managing contractor. Given the immediate transition from the additional sustainment works to the intensive care unit expansion works, a two-tier governance structure will remain for the project throughout planning and implementation. To manage risks and any arising issues, an executive leadership team will continue to be responsible for strategic oversight of the project, facilitating key approvals of significant changes pertaining to scope, budget or project program.

The integrated management team will continue to be responsible for overall day-to-day operational management, and key risks will be managed centrally through DIT in accordance with the mandated standards and ongoing practices. The project works are expected to commence this April, with the final expansion works of the intensive care unit aimed to be practically complete in September of next year. The project will also explore all opportunities to deliver multiple stages concurrently to achieve an earlier completion date.

The original 2018 submission for the hospital's upgrade sustainment program confirmed no record of Aboriginal sites in the proposed work's location. The Angas and Allan Campbell buildings on King William Street are both listed on the SA Heritage Register, but SA Health does not anticipate any works to impact upon these heritage buildings. Although the works will have a relatively limited asset life, the project is still considering greening principles and previous best sustainable practice throughout the design.

The existing hospital upgrade sustainment program consulted with hospital clinical and non-clinical staff, encompassing primary users and secondary stakeholders as well as executive stakeholders and project sponsors. Consultation has covered design, management and ongoing health delivery. The Women's and Children's Health Network is managing required communications and logistics to ensure all hospital users receive appropriate information.

The committee examined written and oral evidence in relation to the Women's and Children's Hospital sustainment project variation. Witnesses who appeared before the committee were Tim Packer, Executive Director, Infrastructure, Department for Health and Wellbeing; Jane Jennings, Chief Operating Officer, Women's and Children's Health Network; John Jenner, Portfolio Manager, Health Infrastructure Delivery, Department for Infrastructure and Transport; and Gary Hazel, Studio Director, GHD Design. I thank the witnesses for their time.

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.

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