The Northern Hospital Expansion Project is making great head way, with Stage 2 works on track to be completed in mid-2021.

Stage 2 will increase the tower from three to seven floors, providing space for improved facilities and extra room to meet future needs. Among the features of the new development will be three 32-bed wards accommodating 96 acute inpatient beds, three new operating theatres including one hybrid theatre, increased recovery capacity, satellite pharmacy, kitchen and expanded back-of-house services.

Once completed, the building will have the capacity to treat 10,000 more patients every year at Northern Health.

Meet the dedicated team who are working together on the project!

In collaboration with the Victorian Health & Human Services Building Authority (VHHSBA), staff from Northern Health are working alongside builders, Kane Construction and consultant project managers, Johnstaff, to bring this project to fruition. Karen Green, Director of Capital Development, manages the project from our end, working through any issues that arise due to Northern Health requirements and managing them back through Johnstaff and VHHSBA.

Kushani Dissanayake and Ashley Shea, Project Managers of Capital Development, manage the interface between Northern Health, Kane and the design team (external consultants such as architects and services and structural engineers) while also being responsible for the project’s furniture, fittings and equipment procurement. Anton Frischmidt, Associate Director of Procurement, supports the capital project team by managing all tenders for the project. He guides the process of procuring and delivering all furniture and fitouts, in line with the project procurement plan and construction timeline.

Alex Jovanovski, Project Coordinator, Engineering Department, assists the capital development team in advising and overseeing shutdown of services to ensure the live hospital can still operate, while Kane Construction integrate new services or upgrade existing services. Kyle Pearson, Interface Manager from Kane Construction, oversees the construction timetable and liaises with Kushani around works that will impact on the hospital.

A key milestone for the project was the official opening of the new Central Sterilising Services Department (CSSD) which has included the closure of our current CSSD with all operations transferred to the new space in late October.

In January 2021, Wards 19, 20 and 21, the new kitchen, satellite pharmacy, Transit Lounge and front of house reception and waiting areas are also set for practical completion and handover from Kane Construction. Practical Completion of the new Recovery is set for mid-2021.

The significance of the project at Northern Health was recognised by the Victorian State Government during COVID-19 and was nominated as one of only nine critical state health projects that were granted exemption from Stage 4 workforce restrictions. Kane have managed the construction project while ensuring strict compliance with a COVID Safe Plan which was endorsed by Worksafe Victoria as of a very high standard.

“One achievement we are really proud of is the delivery of Ward 15 (our old ICU). Capital Development were asked if it could be made operational within 36 hours, which was made possible with the assistance of Engineering, Support Services, Supply/Procurement and Ward 16,” said Karen Green, Director of Capital Development.

“Our team has developed some really good working partnerships with the Kane Construction site team and Northern Health Engineering, Supply/Procurement and clinical teams.”

Featured Image (left to right): 

Front: Ashley Shea, Project Manager, Capital Development – Northern Health; Kushani Dissanayake, Project Manager, Capital Development – Northern Health and Karen Green, Director, Capital Development – Northern Health 

Back: Carl Naidoo, Project Manager – Kane Construction; Will Gullifer, Senior Project Manager – Kane Construction; Alex Jovanovski, Projects Coordinator, Engineering and Building Services – Northern Health and Kyle Pearson, Contract Administrator – Kane Construction