The transformation of Australia’s second oldest hospital.
The redevelopment of the Royal Hobart Hospital is the largest health infrastructure project ever undertaken in Tasmania and significantly boosted the State’s building industry. The hospital existed on its current site for almost 200 years with the oldest building dating back to 1939. The new Royal Hobart Hospital is the largest in Tasmania and is the major teaching and research facility for the State.
Tasmanians are benefiting from the new hospital that delivers improved facilities and a more comfortable environment for patients; enhanced safety and infection control; sustainable design delivering long-term resource efficiencies; and has capacity for future expansion.
The $420 million Royal Hobart Hospital redevelopment included the refurbishment of 11,000m2 of existing clinical areas including operating theatres, endoscopy, paediatrics, maternity, mental health and women’s clinics. The new K-Block, a ten-storey inpatient facility increased the floor area by 50% and delivered many ‘firsts’ for the facility including:
- A dedicated adolescent unit for vulnerable young people. It includes 19 beds and two safe rooms.
- A helipad allowing critically ill or injured patients to be in treatment rooms within a few minutes of landing on K-Block.
- Seven birthing suits with baths to allow for water immersion labours.
- First public mobile CT scanner – one of only eight in the country at the time. New audio-visual equipment to bring x-rays, CT scans and other high-resolution imagery into theatres.
- A robot that takes instruments to the steriliser – the first Australian site to use this equipment.
- A dual-capability hyperbaric chamber that can pressurise (hyperbaric) and depressurise (hypobaric). It is the first in the southern hemisphere.
- Customer
Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services - Location
Hobart, Tasmania - Specialisation
Health & aged care - Start
September 2015 - End
April 2020
This local project was a major contributor to the Tasmanian economy and provided more than 300 jobs during construction.
The project was an exciting construction challenge as the team worked on a constrained brownfields site, whilst maintaining hospital operations at all times.
The project won several awards at the Master Builders Tasmania 2020 event including The Award for Unique Achievement in Construction, The Award for Health Facility and the Award for New Construction over $50 million.
