Health Minister Jillian Skinner today announced expressions of interest will be invited from the private sector to construct and operate a world-class hospital on Sydney’s northern beaches.
Mrs Skinner was joined by northern beaches MPs Mike Baird (Manly), Brad Hazzard (Wakehurst), Rob Stokes (Pittwater) and Jonathan O’Dea (Davidson) to announce the 423-bed Northern Beaches Hospital at Frenchs Forest, which will utilise leading digital technologies to deliver the highest quality care.
The NBH will provide both public and private services. The private operator will enter into a long term contract with the NSW Government to deliver public services and the hospital will remain part of the clinical network of the Northern Sydney Local Health District.
“This innovative model is a first in NSW, reflecting our commitment to doing things smarter to deliver better services to the people of our state,” Mrs Skinner said.
“Partnering with a private hospital operator will allow the hospital to be built faster, with significant savings to the taxpayers of NSW.”
The people of the northern beaches will have access to a purpose-built hospital constructed with state-of-the-art materials and digital technologies. It will provide surgical, medical, paediatric, obstetric and inpatient mental health services and will feature a large, modern emergency department.
“I am excited our outstanding staff will have the opportunity to work in a fabulous new facility, which will in turn attract new staff of the highest calibre,” Mrs Skinner said.
“The Northern Beaches Hospital will be more than a hospital - it will be a centre of clinical excellence in health, teaching and research.”
The NBH will see acute services relocated from Mona Vale Hospital and the ageing Manly Hospital. Mona Vale Hospital will be rebuilt to provide complementary health services, including urgent care, sub-acute care and palliative care. Manly Hospital will close when the NBH opens in 2018.
“The northern beaches population is growing and ageing at a rate which makes it vital we plan for the future health care needs,” Mrs Skinner said.
“The people of the northern beaches will have a purpose-built, centrally located hospital which will provide much greater capacity and greater complexity of services.”
Mr Baird said: “For many years there has been talk of a new hospital for the northern beaches. Today it is clear the hospital is a reality and people on the northern beaches will get access to a full range of medical treatment, when they need it.
“The Northern Beaches Hospital is the first major investment in public health infrastructure on the northern beaches for decades, demonstrating yet again that the NSW Government is getting on with the job of renewing infrastructure across our great state.”
Mr Hazzard welcomed the innovative model. “By delivering both public and private services, the Northern Beaches Hospital will give the people of our community a level of choice they do not currently enjoy,” he said.
Mr Stokes said: “I am pleased that Mona Vale Hospital will be rebuilt and will continue to play a vital role in providing quality care to the people of our community, working in conjunction with the new Northern Beaches Hospital.”
Mr O’Dea said the announcement of the EOI process was “a great milestone for the people of the northern beaches, who have long wanted a new, state-of-the-art hospital to cater for their health needs, now and into the future”.
The NBH will be built in on a 6.5 hectare site bounded by Frenchs Forest Road West (north), Warringah Road (south), Wakehurst Parkway (east) and the Forest High School (west). [See map attached]
Site preparation works will commence later this year. The successful tenderer will be identified in late 2014 with main building construction scheduled to start in 2015. Completion is due in 2018.
A reference group involving local councils, NSW Health, Roads and Maritime Services, Transport NSW and the Department of Planning and Infrastructure has been established to resolve traffic and transport issues surrounding the site.
An industry briefing will be held on Thursday May 9 at the Kolling Auditorium, Royal North Shore Hospital. Expressions of interest will open on Friday May 10.
For further information on the Northern Beaches Hospital go to www.NBHSredev.health.nsw.gov.au
