Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre

Client: Department of Health, Ballart Health
Service: Project Management

The Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre (BRCC), located at Ballarat Base Hospital, provides a range of cancer services for the Ballarat and Grampians Region. The Centre enables people from this region to receive treatment in their community and reduce travel in their time of greatest need. 

The Ballarat Austin Radiation Oncology Centre (BAROC) was established in 2002 as a joint venture between Ballarat Health Services, Austin Health and St John of God Health Care (SJOG). BAROC provided a comprehensive radiation therapy treatment service from a single linear accelerator facility located on SJOG’s Ballarat Private Hospital site. BAROC was the sole treatment centre for radiation therapy patients in the Grampians region of Victoria, and was the only site in Victoria operating with a single bunker. Following a review of siting options for an integrated cancer centre in Ballarat, BAROC was successful in securing funding as part of Round One of the Commonwealth Government’s Health & Hospitals Fund. BRICC was developed at the Ballarat Base Hospital, with radiation therapy services to be transferred from SJOG’s site at its completion.

The BRICC facility is a five level building adjacent to and incorporating an 1890s building and comprises four radiotherapy bunkers (with two linear accelerators initially), 16 day oncology spaces, a wellness centre, 20 consulting rooms, satellite pharmacy, clinical trials, research and cancer administration. The Wellness Centre was established through the restoration of the existing heritage Outpatients Building. This facilitates provision of support to both patients and their carers. Johnstaff was engaged as Project Manager for the full implementation of the project, commencing with a review of the site Master Plan. In addition to BRICC, the project included a series of priority works including creation of a new 12 cot special care nursery (with ability to flex to 16 cots), new maternity outpatients area and new catheterisation lab. The project also required upgrading of the site’s electrical services infrastructure to provide a reliable electrical supply to the Hospital. 

The Priority Works project was delivered through a traditional lump sum contract, while the BRICC project was procured through a Construction Manager given the complexity of the existing site constraints.