Australia Highlights New World Class Cancer Centre
Victoria’s $1 billion world-class cancer centre will be delivered as a Public Private Partnership, ensuring the facility will be built at the lowest possible cost to the taxpayer.
Victorian Premier John Brumby said the Public Private Partnership approach for the Parkville Comprehensive Cancer Centre follows Victoria’s excellent track record using this model.
“This new cancer centre will be delivered as a public private partnership ensuring that it is good value for money for the Victorian taxpayer,” Mr Brumby said.
“Victoria is a world leader in public private partnerships. The Royal Children’s Hospital and Royal Women’s Hospital are prime examples of how we are working with the private sector to deliver first-class hospitals cheaper than would otherwise be possible.
“We will call for expressions of interest in the project this week, with short-listed consortia expected to be announced early next year.
“The Centre will drive the next generation of improvements in the prevention, detection and treatment of cancer.
“The Victorian and Commonwealth Governments are working together, along with a powerful alliance of leading clinical and research organisations, to bring this bold and exciting project one step closer.”
The Parkville Comprehensive Cancer Centre will be jointly funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments, with each contributing $426.1 million, with the remaining funds to come from partner contributions, the sale of surplus land and philanthropic donations.
The Brumby Government has already committed $10.5 million to clear the site for the cancer centre, including the demolition of the former dental hospital.
“Site clearance works including establishing site amenities and removing hazardous materials have started and are on track to be completed on time,” he said.
The new centre will bring together leading cancer research and treatment institutes: the Peter McCallum Cancer Centre, the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne Health (which includes the Royal Melbourne Hospital), the University of Melbourne, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and the Royal Women’s Hospital.
Health Minister Daniel Andrews said the Brumby Government officially launched its $150 million Cancer Action Plan last December, which invests in innovative research, prevention and treatment strategies to improve care and save lives.
“Cancer is a high priority for the Victorian Government and the plan aims to increase cancer survival rates for Victorians by a further 10 per cent by 2015 – saving 2000 lives,” he said.
“More Victorians die of cancer than any other disease. With a growing and ageing population, the number of people being diagnosed with cancer is increasing.
“The Parkville centre will accelerate new cancer treatments, train cancer specialists and provide the best quality care for people suffering from cancer.”
Mr Andrews said the new centre would be built on both sides of Grattan Street, using the former dental hospital site with some new facilities on the Royal Melbourne Hospital campus. The total area will be about 93,000 square metres.
“The project will link cancer services at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Royal Women’s Hospital with services at Peter Mac, providing all patients with even better access to state-of-the-art facilities,” he said.
Demolition of the dental hospital is due for completion in 2010 with construction of the new cancer centre to start in 2011 and be completed by 2015.
The centre will include 194 in-patient beds, 110 same-day treatment places, eight medi-hotel beds, six radiation therapy bunkers, and more than 30,000 square metres of research space capable of accommodating up to 1400 cancer researchers.
Innovation Minister Gavin Jennings said Parkville was Australia’s premier biomedical research precinct and this project would continue to see Victoria lead the way.
“Within ten minutes walk of the site are world leading biomedical research institutes such as The University of Melbourne, the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the Royal Women’s Hospital, the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research,” he said.
“Also close by is the Florey Neurosciences Institutes, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, and the Victorian Life Sciences Computation Initiative.”
Topics: Australia, Brumby Government, cancer center, cancer centre, Governance, health care, hospitals, Parkville, private sector, Public Private Partnership, taxes, taxpayers
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