An evaluation of the site redevelopment options was undertaken in the final business case in accordance with DTF's Investment Evaluation Policy and Guidelines (1996). When evaluating the proposed options, the framework applied in the business case focused on the financial and non-financial or socio-economic factors with weightings assigned to each evaluation criteria based on judgements made about their relative importance.
Key issues considered during the evaluation process were the:
• ability to meet government's commitment to provide all new clinical services in a world class, state-of-the-art facility, within the announced timeframes
• overall financial evaluation (taking into account capital costs and impact on recurrent costs)
• best value for money investment and affordability
• stakeholder impacts and views, including facility users (patients, carers and families), the local residential community, conservation groups, staff and benefactors.
Based on this evaluation the business case recommended the 'new west variant' as the preferred option because it:
• scored highest on the overall financial evaluation
• scored highest on overall value for money
• delivered equal socio-economic benefits to the 'new west' option at a lower cost
• made maximum use of new buildings to achieve the operational and clinical efficiencies, and strategic and project objectives, while also retaining the benefit of recent investments in existing RCH buildings, specifically the front entry building and a research building.