Builders shortlisted for hospital upgrade

Four builders including Multiplex and Lendlease have been shortlisted to complete major works under the $257 million expansion of Joondalup Health Campus, which will include new beds and operating theatres.

The state government today announced the four Western Australian builders, which also comprise Georgiou Group and Built, have progressed through to the tendering stage for the project’s major construction works, with a decision of the preferred contractor expected in October.

The overall expansion is scheduled to complete by late 2025.

It will include 30 new mental health inpatient beds, 12 additional emergency department beds, an urgent care clinic and a new operating theatre and cardiac catheter laboratory.

A further 90 inpatient beds designed to meet future demand will be included in the expansion, along with six new critical care beds and increased parking bays for both hospital staff and the public.

The jointly-funded project will receive a $158 million contribution from the federal government and $98.7 million from the state government.

Health Minister Roger Cook said early works on the project were underway, with Malaga-based Kwikfit relocating the emergency department administration building to facilitate its expansion.

“The expansion will create jobs and deliver a world-class public hospital to meet the growing population needs of Perth’s northern corridor,” he said.

Joondalup MLA Emily Hamilton said the northern corridor was one of the fastest-growing regions in Australia.

Ms Hamilton said the hospital’s newly-built mental health observation area and stroke unit were already delivering better health services for locals.

The $7.1 million mental health observation area was partially funded by Ramsay Health Care and built by West Perth-based ADCO Construction. It opened in 2018.

The 12-bed stroke unit, which forms part of the hospital’s overall expansion project, opened in March last year.