Local Buider
Wednesday 30 November 2011
Hospital expansion works contract secured by award-winning
local builder
St John of God Hospital Bunbury Chief Executive Officer, Mark
Grime, today announced the appointment of Bunbury-based
construction company Perkins Builders to manage the next stage of
the $35.97 million expansion of the Hospital, another milestone in
the private-public partnership working toward meeting the South
West region’s health care needs, today and into the future.
Mr Grime said the appointment of Perkins Builders reflects our
confidence that the local building and construction industry is as
good as metropolitan-based organisations.
"The tender process attracted submissions of very high overall
quality, providing a competitive field of well-regarded Western
Australian companies from which to choose," Mr Grime said.
Perkins Builders, with more than 45 years local building
experience, won an award in the National Commercial/Industrial
Construction $10-20 million category in the 2011 Master Builders
National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards in November
2011.
"It is a good fit for St John of God Bunbury Hospital, a
community-focused organisation that has led the way in
planning this significant redevelopment, which includes a
Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Coronary Care Unit (CCU) and
Angiography Suite, expanding our Renal Dialysis Unit and upgrading
other infrastructure," he said.
"Both the Comprehensive Cancer Centre and the CCU are regional
firsts, as the only such specialist centres in regional
Western Australia.
“Regional cities of equivalent population in other Australian
states already have access to coronary care units and angiography
services.
"The new facilities at the South West Health Campus will provide a
significant benefit to the community in bringing specialist
health services closer to home for people living in the South
West," Mr Grime said.
"Once completed, the cancer centre will meet a growing community
need, with cancer and cardiac disease predicted to increase
in line with the region’s rapidly growing and ageing
population.
From late 2012, women will have year round access to Breastscreen
at the South West Health Campus," he said.
Each year, close to 3,000 South West residents are hospitalised in
Perth for acute cardiac conditions, or have to travel to Perth to
undergo cardiac angiography.
St John of God Hospital Bunbury has led the way in establishing
this private-public partnership by seeking funding contributions
from the Commonwealth Government’s Health and Hospital Fund ($25.92
million) and the State Government’s Royalties for Regions Program
($5 million) for the Coronary Care facility in addition to St
John of God Health Care’s own contribution of $4.52 million.
Perkins Builders Managing Director, Dan Perkins, said the
company has had the opportunity to develop long term and successful
working partnerships in the greater Bunbury region.
"Perkins Builders have been constructing iconic buildings for the
local community – the Cathedral and now the Comprehensive Cancer
Centre," Mr Perkins said.
"These opportunities are rare and the buildings we are privileged
to create become enduring landmarks for the local and surrounding
communities."
The entire South West community is set to benefit from
the Hospital's expansion, through the attraction of new and
resident medical specialists to regional Western Australia and
creation of local jobs for nursing, allied health and support
staff.
For information and photo opportunities,
please contact:
Irene Burlein, Manager Community Engagement and Marketing
on (08) 9722 1632