Page 4668 - Week 12 - Thursday, 1 November 2018
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the ability to draw on the broad expertise of these partners within government and outside.
The integrated approach of the committee has been critical to ensure that planning for projects meets the long-term health needs of our community. The committee’s recommendations have been essential to informing government’s consideration of the projects, which does include the most appropriate site location on the Canberra Hospital campus for the SPIRE project. With the best advice, the government remains confident that project works will commence in 2020 and we will continue to work towards project completion in the 2023-24 financial year.
Over the coming weeks we will be embarking on the next critical step, undertaking information briefings with key clinical staff from Canberra Hospital and Calvary Public Hospital to provide an update regarding the project and we will present material that informed the steering committee’s deliberations and our infrastructure priorities. This builds on the engagement of staff through the territory-wide health services strategy and the ongoing development of speciality service plans, which has also been a key component of the government’s commitment to territory-wide health services planning and to future-proofing the ACT’s public health system.
These information briefings are part of essential clinical involvement in the SPIRE project and will be complemented throughout 2019, including with the establishment of the clinical leadership forum in the next two months, as well as further engagement with clinical and other staff and key stakeholders. Following the briefings with our clinical staff, the government will make further announcements prior to the end of 2018 regarding SPIRE and our next steps to begin the project in 2020.
I would like to remind members that 2018 has seen huge progress in the provision of health infrastructure in our hospitals and within our community-based health services. Of course, earlier this year we opened the wonderful new University of Canberra Hospital, which has significantly changed the way we deliver subacute health services, particularly at our public hospitals, and includes the way we care for people recovering from surgery, trauma, illness or, indeed, experiencing mental illness.
We have also opened a new walk-in centre in Gungahlin and started the design process for a new walk-in centre in Weston Creek due to open next year. We have upgraded and opened operating theatres at Calvary Public Hospital in Bruce, we have refurbished the maternity ward at Calvary Public Hospital in Bruce and we have also opened a new, completely refurbished geriatric ward also at the Canberra Hospital.
The SPIRE project continues to be a key priority for the ACT government, and I look forward to updating the Assembly and the community on the significant health investment for the people of Canberra.
Paper—order to table
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (3.36): On the matter arising from question time that Ms Fitzharris has dealt with, under standing order 213 I move:
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