The new Royal Women's Hospital was officially opened by Victorian Premier John Brumby in July 2008, marking the beginning of the next phase of this successful Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Project.
Bilfinger Berger Project Investments leads the private sector Royal Women's Health Partnership (RWHP) consortium which has financed, designed, built and will now maintain the A$250 million Melbourne hospital for the next 25 years. RWHP also includes builder Baulderstone Hornibrook and Facilities Manager United Group Services.
The Project is a prime example of the benefits of the PPP process.
"This is a model PPP Project: delivered on time and on budget," explains Bilfinger Berger Project Investments' Project Director, Graham Whitson. "Its success is a direct result of Bilfinger's model of active leadership and partnership approach. We have been leading the consortium since the early tender phase and will continue to be involved over the long term
operation phase of the Project. This is our strategy on all our 22 PPP projects worldwide."
The Project has
• been awarded a number of international Project Finance awards since 2005,
• accommodated over 600 design changes, at no extra cost,
• consulted with stakeholders and users through the project phases, and
• incorporated an extensive commissioning and transition process for staff and users.
The PPP process will mean that the hospital staff can focus on provision of clinical care and patient outcomes, while the private sector ensures the appropriate maintenance of infrastructure for long-term use.
The 160-bed nine-storey specialist hospital for women and newborn babies includes a 5-level underground carpark and a new 88-bed Frances Perry House private hospital. It will provide world-class facilities and deliver high-quality patient services in a family friendly and homely environment. It includes 50% of all rooms as single bed rooms, large birthing suites and an innovative interior design, based on extensive stakeholder consultation.
Approximately 12,000 operations and 11,000-day procedures will be performed in the hospital each year, while an extensive range of outpatient, women's health, pregnancy day-care and breastfeeding education, and support services will be provided.
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1 Bilfinger. Royal Women's Hospital Project Profile. www.pi.bilfinger.com/projects/by-region/australia/royal-womens-hospital; and State Government of Victoria, Department of Human Services. 2008. World Class Royal Women's Hospital Opens. Victoria, Australia. www.health.vic.gov.au/archive/archive2010/humanservicesnews/jul08/open.htm