A contemporary model of health care successfully delivered in a compliant and safe environment during COVID-19 for Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD) and the Dungog Community.

The Dungog Community Hospital is the only facility in the Shire of Dungog, serving a population of just over 9000 residents, and has been providing 128 years of care to the people in the Shire.  The redevelopment included bringing some rooms (including the original 1892 sections) up to contemporary WHS standards, security, infection control and medication safety.  Additional functionality included triage facilities, new ward staff station, refurbishment of the emergency department, new consultation and treatment rooms, as well as an upgrade of engineering services.

The ongoing collaborative relationship between NSW Public Works, the Contractor (Kingston Building Australia), the client (HNELHD) and the Hospital staff, was critical to the successful delivery of this project in very challenging times.  Multiple stakeholder user group workshops were held during the design phase to capture the critical information that was used to inform the design solutions.  Weekly coordination meetings during construction for the on-site works were also used to develop innovative solutions to the staging of the works, a key challenge for the project driven by site conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indigenous participation was another highlight, with the Contractor exceeding the targeted contract spend through direct engagement with apprentices and subcontractors. Local subcontractors were employed where possible, further benefiting the Dungog community.

For more information about this project refer to a recent article in the Summer 2020 edition of the Australian Institute of Project Management's Paradigm Shift magazine.