ADCO and Hutchinson win multimillion tenders to overhaul Redland Hospital

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath has announced multimillion contracts for a southside hospital, where there were calls for her to sack the nine-member board in October.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath announced major contracts for two construction giants at the Redland Hospital.

Two of Australia’s oldest and most established construction companies have been awarded multimillion dollar contracts to expand and build a new wing at Redland Hospital.

Australian Building Construction Company, known as ADCO, won the $62 million contract to deliver 37 extra beds and a new ICU ward at the Cleveland hospital with work expected to start early next year and be completed in the first half of 2024.

ADCO has also been granted the contract to build the new state primary school at Redland Bay, with work starting this month.

Construction giant Hutchinson Builders won the $25 million contract to build a new ward with 28 extra beds.

That work is expected to be completed in the second half of 2023 with the ward to be constructed off-site and craned into place, fully equipped with essential services including plumbing, medical gases and clinical lighting.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath made the announcements on Tuesday during a visit to the Redland Hospital, where there were calls for her to sack the nine-member board in October after the facility recorded the worst ramping figures in the state’s history.

She also inspected work on the new seven-storey car park, which is nearing completion.

“I know the 1000 additional car parks will be a very welcome addition for patients, visitors and staff when it opens in early 2023.”

A tent in the carpark at Redland Hospital is used as a Covid ward.

Ms D’Ath said healthcare services in Redland would also be boosted with a new satellite hospital, being constructed about 10km away in Redland Bay.

The Redlands Satellite Hospital will include a minor injury and illness clinic to take pressure off Redland Hospital’s busy emergency department and is expected to be completed and operational next year.

Ms D’Ath’s visit to Redland followed a trip to the Mackay Base Hospital, on Monday, where she sacked the hospital board after an investigation revealed inadequate care led to the death of three babies.

Her visit to Redland was slammed by local LNP MP Mark Robinson, who called for her to resign and claimed the minister was “out of her depth” and refusing to face up to blaring problems at the hospital.

“Labor’s litany of failures at Redland Hospital include the worst-ever ambulance ramping in our history – as bad as 73 per cent of patients, remaining unacceptably high.

“There is a tent instead of an ICU to protect very ill locals throughout the Covid pandemic, putting lives at risk.

“The car park is partly built and cannot be used and plans for a medical centre that delayed the building of the critical ICU.”

Mr Robinson also said the state had withheld “catalytic” federal and state funding for two years.