The State Government have moved to the next step in the
construction of the new Maitland hospital, announcing a health partnership
proposal for prospective developers.
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| Jillian Skinner |
Developers will now bid on the construction, arguing why
they’re the best one for the job.
The one who meets the Government’s brief the best will be
awarded the contract.
Health Minister Gillian Skinner says it can only do good for
regional communities.
“These partnerships are about building bigger and better
hospitals for our local communities,” she said.
It comes after the Government ended its expression of
interest period on the hospital last week, which they had running since
mid-September.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald says
nothing will change for public health users.
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| Scot MacDonald |
“Public access is exactly the same. If you’re used to going to the emergency
department, you’ll be treated exactly the same,” he said.
Ensure the hospital remains viable for the future of
Maitland – a town which grows every day – has been on the Government’s agenda,
and it will need to be the same for private developers.
“This has to be future proof. This hospital will have to meet the future
needs for decades ahead,” Scot MacDonald said.
“That is our brief to the planners and the designers and the
non-Government operators.
“It’s not about bed numbers today or tomorrow, it’s about
what the services and the facilities that we need in the years and decades
ahead.
“If they [private developers] can’t do that that won’t be
accepted by the State Government.”
