Ballina Hospital Upgrade

A growing population and the need for more modern and integrated medical services were the drivers behind the new extensions at Ballina Hospital on the New South Wales north coast.

Opened to the public, ahead of schedule on January 8, 2007, the new development incorporates an Ambulatory Care Unit and a Transitional Care Unit (the latter being upgraded during the final stages of the project to include Rehabilitation facilities).

Designed by Health Projects International in conjunction with Reed Health, the new building is set on 7,400 m2 and has 1,942 m2 of useable floor space - which is divided amongst the two units.

Stage 1 of the development commenced in April 2006 and included the design and construction of an 18-bed Transitional Care Unit facility, incorporating: patient bedrooms, lounge and dining facilities, treatment rooms, gymnasium, offices, carpark and landscaped courtyards.

Stage 2 of the development commenced in August 2006 and included the design and construction of an Ambulatory Care Unit facility, including: new main entry, reception, offices, consulting rooms, staff amenities, link corridors and extensive landscaped areas.

Constructed in brick veneer with Colorbond roof and wall panelling, the single storey building is modern, but sympathetic to the surroundings, and incorporates a unique engineering concept for the plant room.

In a first for NSW health facilities, the building features a decentralised plant room, which is based in the roof space and serviced by maintenance walkways.

This unique plant room configuration is important as it means there is little to no contact between maintenance staff and the public or patients, thus reducing the risk of infection, or the introduction of other contaminants.

The design necessitated stronger roof truss members to hold plant and human traffic, which were prefabricated off site. The roof structure was also modified to increase the headroom, allowing for staff operation.

The innovation means all equipment servicing now takes place in the roof, with no access or service panels at ground level.

With its successful integration at Ballina Hospital, it is expected NSW Department of Commerce will incorporate the design in future hospital and health projects.

For local resident's, though, the early opening of the much needed facility was a boon. Reed Health's tight Project Management, its strong relations with subcontractors and commitment to the client, saw the project fast tracked into operation five weeks ahead of schedule. Despite significant variations Reed reprogrammed its schedule to ensure those who in medical need could once again breath easy.