Health Minister Stephen Wade said today the scope of the build had been broadened after a clinical services planning review, with its budget now revised up from $264 million to $314 million.

That will include an Emergency Department expansion, including 46 new treatment bays, 12 operating theatres and a day surgery suite, a 14-bed Intensive Care Unit, a central sterile supply department and a 52-bed inpatient rehabilitation facility.

An impression of the proposed changes, provided by the Government and designed by Cheesman Architects.

However, the already-delayed timeline for construction will be pushed out at least a further 12 months.

“Preparatory works have been underway for some months now, and a lot of the work has been in relation to clinical services planning,” Wade said.

“We could have pushed along with a project that had not been properly planned, but that would have meant we could only deliver what the QEH will need for today… a major focus of the planning work has been to make sure this hospital will be future-proofed for whatever the future brings.”

He said the new project included “significant enhancements” on the original plan.

“Construction works will be delayed by a year but we’re very confident that we’ll have a much better project,” he said.