Olivia Newton - John Cancer & Wellness Centre

Client: Austin Health, Department of Health, Department of Business & Innovation
Service: Project Management

The ONJCWC is a dedicated precinct providing a range of specialist cancer services, including cancer treatment, education, training and research. The Centre brings together the cancer services currently dispersed across the Austin Hospital and Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital sites as well as a range of new and expanded services, including inpatient accommodation for acute and palliative care patients, a radiotherapy facility, ambulatory care services, clinical trials, clinical research centre and an education and resource centre. 

The facility design is leading a fundamental change in the delivery of cancer treatment with a focus on treating the whole of the person and providing therapies which will work in tandem with the patient’s clinical therapies. The centre incorporates a purposedesigned wellness centre bringing together family spaces and a range of complementary therapies. 

Johnstaff was engaged as Project Manager to undertake a review of the Master Plan and progress documentation and construction. At commencement the project funding was only confirmed for the first stage of the works. Johnstaff and the consultant team reconfigured the proposed facility design to allow delivery and operation of Stage 1 prior to confirmation of funding for the balance of the facility. 

Johnstaff assisted in the development of three further business case submissions and further funding was confirmed in the 2010-11 State Budget (Stage 2a) and 2011-12 State Budget (Stage 2b). Our team played a key role in developing and delivering procurement and buildability solutions that allowed earliest possible completion of all three stages in order to meet operational demand. The innovative procurement solution comprised a lump sum tender for Stage 1 with a Tender Option for Stage 2a preliminaries and profit. The Stage 2a trade works were then delivered as a variation negotiated using BOQ rates. This facilitated accelerated delivery with competitive pricing and also satisfied probity requirements. 

Johnstaff also managed delivery of three additional early works packages prior to commencement of the main project including decanting of existing cancer services from the proposed site, relocation of the hospital’s services ring main tunnel away from the proposed site and demolition of existing buildings. These three complex projects were undertaken in and around operational facilities with particular risks associated with the immuno-compromised nature of the patients being relocated.