Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital: ICU expansion at risk of being delivered from budget blowout

A critical expansion to the intensive care unit at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital is at risk of further delays with millions of dollars in urgent funding still required to complete the project. The Cook Government was warned by North Metropolitan Health Service ahead of the State Budget in May that the 10-bed ICU expansion was at “extreme” risk of not being delivered, according to a leaked internal memo obtained by The West Australian. “Additional funding is critical to enable procurement of other budget line items, additional to construction, in time to align with the current program,” the document states. “$4.95 million additional funding was approved as a draw-down from the Health Infrastructure Global Provision to award the (construction) contract. $12.089m of additional funding is still required to deliver the 10-bed pod project.” The document suggests the expansion, which was budgeted at $23.4m and due for completion in September next year, will now cost more than $35m. Despite the warnings, the Cook Government didn’t stump up the cash in the June State Budget — with at least a third of the project still unfunded. In questions sent to the Health Infrastructure Minister John Carey, The West asked how the ICU works could be delivered on time without the funds, or whether it would be delayed until further money is allocated in the budget next financial year. Mr Carey responded with a one-line statement: “We are delivering this project. It is not uncommon for infrastructure projects to be funded in stages as milestones are reached.” That was refuted by senior staff within North Metropolitan Health Service who have confirmed it is “unlikely” the ICU pod will open by the 2026 target date. “Main works (construction) could be completed, but it’s hard to open an intensive care unit if you don’t have the medical equipment and resources to treat patients,” said a senior staffer who asked to remain anonymous. “I’d be anticipating six to 12 months will be added to the delivery schedule or we will have to reduce the scope of what is delivered.” Shadow Treasurer Sandra Brewer was equally sceptical about the timeline. “The Cook Labor Government has once again failed to deliver a vital health project. What we now know from this internal document is the project appears to require even more money that has not been approved,” Ms Brewer said. “The Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital ICU expansion is now years late, millions over budget, and still undelivered.” It’s just the latest health infrastructure headache for the Government with the Premier Roger Cook admitting last week a key multi-million-dollar election commitment to revamp Royal Perth Hospital and expand the emergency department won’t be delivered until 2026. In February, ahead of the State poll, then health minister Amber-Jade Sanderson promised that Labor was ready to “take this to Budget and get it to tender” if re-elected. Other major hospital upgrades, to take pressure off overwhelmed EDs and address record-high ambulance ramping, like the expansion of St John of God Midland Public Hospital are still in the planning stages and expected to take years to open once construction eventually begins.