Former St Helen’s Private Hospital to get new lease of life as a medical hub

There was uproar from patients when St Helen’s Private Hospital closed - but now it is set to be given a new lease on life. Future of the site >>>

The former St Helen’s Private Hospital in Hobart is to become a medical hub. Picture Supplied.

The old St Helen’s Private Hospital in Hobart is to be re-developed as a medical hub, which could include a day hospital.

The former hospital, which opened in 1919 and closed two years ago, was bought from Healthscope in February by local developers Tim Wark and Stuart Ayliffe.

Knight Frank real estate partner Scott Newton told the Sunday Tasmanian expressions of interest were being sought for the prominent site which runs from Macquarie St to Davey St.

“We are in the process of talking with numerous heath sector operators with the focus being on a day hospital type model with associated allied health services included,” he said.

“The site represents a fantastic opportunity for redevelopment and to be recycled into a leading health services complex which is centrally accessed and has the fundamental qualities required and is much needed by our ageing community.”

The former St Helens Private Hospital in Hobart is to become a medical hub. Picture Supplied.

The hospital provided 31 general psychiatric inpatient beds and an eight-bed mother and baby unit and angry and distressed patients rallied against its closure.

Mr Newton said what speciality services would be offered at the hub “are still to be worked through”.

He said there would a “significant” refit and upgrade to the current facilities.

“Planning is not considered a difficult element of the redevelopment given its past use. Building approvals will be needed, however, given the changes required,” Mr Newton said.

Anna Reynolds Lord Mayor of Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said she looked forward to hearing more about the plans for a medical hub.

“It’s good to see the site being activated and for the focus on health services and facilities,” she said.

“It is an attractive inner-city site to service the growing needs for key health services.”

AMA president Dr Michael Lumsden-Steel said the health needs of Tasmanians and the gaps in private and public hospitals needed to be analysed.

“What we have seen with the closure of St Helen’s Hospital is we’ve lost the mother-baby unit and critically, there’s been a massive gap in providing that service for mothers and new parents that have been struggling and need assistance,” he said.

“Inpatient mental health support and ECT have been pushed into public, so you’ve now got the public having to pick up and provide additional services for patients with private health insurance.

TSMPS Secretary Dr Michael Lumsden- Steel. Picture: Chris Kidd

“There was a proposal for the day hospital to be built out at New Town and that project fell over.

“We would say that the public hospital at the moment is again really under the pump. It is unable to get through appropriate elective surgical work this winter because there’s so much bed pressure.”

Dr Lumden-Steel stressed the need for a “holistic strategic blueprint” for healthcare delivery for Tasmanians to determine demand and growth and to break the cycle of funding promises made to “buy votes”.