Construction of the $13.5 million expansion of the Canberra Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit is underway and on track to be completed by the end of the year, according to ACT Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith.
The project will increase ICU beds at Canberra Hospital to 39, boosting critical care capacity while the design and construction of the Canberra Hospital Expansion is underway.
She said the construction also provided a boost for local jobs and industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A bigger ICU at the Canberra Hospital will ensure our health system is better equipped to meet the increasing demand for intensive care treatment,” the Minister said.
“Additional healthcare workers will be recruited to staff the expanded ICU, providing 24-hour care to some of the most critical patients at Canberra Hospital.
“Across the Canberra Hospital campus, there are more than 45 projects underway to improve the facilities and amenities available to staff, patients and their families. The ICU expansion is one example of how we are working to modernise and future-proof Canberra’s major tertiary hospital.
“This includes delivering the Canberra Hospital Expansion, the new emergency, surgical and critical healthcare facility which will include 60 ICU beds.”
Senator for the ACT Zed Seselja said with Canberra Hospital ICU treating 2,200 patients annually, the eight additional beds at Canberra Hospital ICU would support greater access to critical care facilities for the growing population of Canberra and Greater Southern NSW.
“The commitment of $13.5 million from the Commonwealth Government to expand the ICU here at Canberra Hospital will make a difference to the sickest and most critical patients in need of high-level care across our region,” Senator Seselja said.
“Having already more than doubled funding to our hospitals, I am proud of the Commonwealth Government’s commitment to continue to deliver projects that support access to healthcare for Canberrans,” he said.
“The expansion forms part of the Commonwealth’s $1.4 billion infrastructure investment bonanza for Canberra over recent years, alongside significant transport infrastructure investment and investment in our national institutions.”
He said the project had been carefully designed so that construction did not cause disruption to the current operations of the ICU.
Funding for the ICU expansion has been provided through the Commonwealth Community Health and Hospitals Program.
