❓ Opposition MP Cook questions the Health Minister about delays and timelines for the Perth Children's Hospital completion, particularly regarding the clinical clean tender and adherence to clinical standards. The Minister assures the project is on track, dismissing political influence and highlighting the project's quality and ongoing commissioning.
AnsweredQoN 356Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL —
COMPLETION AND CLINICAL CLEAN TENDER
356. Mr R.H. COOK to the Minister for
Health:
I refer to the Perth Children's
Hospital, which was first promised in 2014, then programmed to open in December
2015 and then early 2016, and now the latest opening date of late 2016.
(1) Can the
minister confirm that the hospital is still on track for practical completion
and full handover of the building by August 2016?
(2) Given
statements by the minister that the hospital will start treating patients in October,
does this mean that the tender for the clinical clean specifying a 26-week
clinical clean will now take only eight or so weeks to complete?
(3) Will the
minister guarantee that the hospital will adhere to its clinical standard time
lines rather than be forced to meet this government's political time
lines as it required for Fiona Stanley Hospital and Elizabeth Quay?
COMPLETION AND CLINICAL CLEAN TENDER
356. Mr R.H. COOK to the Minister for
Health:
I refer to the Perth Children's
Hospital, which was first promised in 2014, then programmed to open in December
2015 and then early 2016, and now the latest opening date of late 2016.
(1) Can the
minister confirm that the hospital is still on track for practical completion
and full handover of the building by August 2016?
(2) Given
statements by the minister that the hospital will start treating patients in October,
does this mean that the tender for the clinical clean specifying a 26-week
clinical clean will now take only eight or so weeks to complete?
(3) Will the
minister guarantee that the hospital will adhere to its clinical standard time
lines rather than be forced to meet this government's political time
lines as it required for Fiona Stanley Hospital and Elizabeth Quay?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) Yes,
I can confirm that the project is on track for the dates that have been
announced. A lot of very careful oversight and planning is being undertaken
within the Department of Health and the Children and Adolescent Health Service.
They are acting very professionally to ensure that the primary aspect of public
safety and the quality and care of children who will be receiving treatment at
the hospital is addressed. In relation to the throwaway line of the member for
Kwinana about a political time line, the opening of the hospital is not being
driven by any political time line at all. Of course, it is well known that the
government would have liked the hospital to be completed when it was due
towards the end of last year—I think that was the revised date. For
reasons beyond the government's control, it has taken longer than we
would have liked. However, an outstanding project is being delivered by the
builder, John Holland, and all those involved. I have been there now on a number
of occasions, including just last week with the Premier when we announced the
anticipated dates. The outstanding quality of the project and the nature of the
facilities that are being provided at a world-class level is really quite
remarkable.
The member seemed to have a strong
interest in the clinical clean of the building. As I understand it, the tender
that went out for expressions of interest referred to a period of up to 26
weeks being required for the clinical cleaning process to be undertaken. That
does not mean it will require all of that time. The other aspect that needs to
be appreciated by the member for Kwinana is that the commissioning team now has
access to substantial parts of the hospital. The installation of equipment, the
familiarisation of the facilities and the commissioning of the hospital is
underway. The formal commissioning will start a little later but there is now
access to extensive parts of the hospital so that the staff of Princess Margaret
Hospital for Children, as it currently is, and the commissioning staff are able
to commence installing the information technology equipment and other
facilities. Everybody in the public arena will have seen from the vision last
week that a large part of the hospital looks very much completed, including the
operating theatres. The installation of equipment needs to be completed but the
commissioning for all intents and purposes is now underway.
I can confirm that the project is on track for the dates that have been
announced. A lot of very careful oversight and planning is being undertaken
within the Department of Health and the Children and Adolescent Health Service.
They are acting very professionally to ensure that the primary aspect of public
safety and the quality and care of children who will be receiving treatment at
the hospital is addressed. In relation to the throwaway line of the member for
Kwinana about a political time line, the opening of the hospital is not being
driven by any political time line at all. Of course, it is well known that the
government would have liked the hospital to be completed when it was due
towards the end of last year—I think that was the revised date. For
reasons beyond the government's control, it has taken longer than we
would have liked. However, an outstanding project is being delivered by the
builder, John Holland, and all those involved. I have been there now on a number
of occasions, including just last week with the Premier when we announced the
anticipated dates. The outstanding quality of the project and the nature of the
facilities that are being provided at a world-class level is really quite
remarkable.
The member seemed to have a strong
interest in the clinical clean of the building. As I understand it, the tender
that went out for expressions of interest referred to a period of up to 26
weeks being required for the clinical cleaning process to be undertaken. That
does not mean it will require all of that time. The other aspect that needs to
be appreciated by the member for Kwinana is that the commissioning team now has
access to substantial parts of the hospital. The installation of equipment, the
familiarisation of the facilities and the commissioning of the hospital is
underway. The formal commissioning will start a little later but there is now
access to extensive parts of the hospital so that the staff of Princess Margaret
Hospital for Children, as it currently is, and the commissioning staff are able
to commence installing the information technology equipment and other
facilities. Everybody in the public arena will have seen from the vision last
week that a large part of the hospital looks very much completed, including the
operating theatres. The installation of equipment needs to be completed but the
commissioning for all intents and purposes is now underway.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.